Biohazard Chronicles 1: Fall of Raccoon city
by MorriganD'eamon1993
Summary: Re-imagining of the game series by capcom. One man comes for justice, A girl comes in search of a lost soul, A boy comes with a secret and A woman simply wishes to be free... these four people believed they could be happy in raccoon city but what comes from the shadows will scar their souls forever...
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: 1st person for interview sections, 3rd person for Raccoon City Sections.**

**Biohazard Chronicles: Fall of Raccoon City **

**Chapter One: First Day on the Job.**

**Interview Beginning 22/11/2011 /Leonard Scott Kennedy**

_Enough was enough…_

I've been stuck in this damned interview room for the last five hours and it's starting to get to me. The room is nice enough, a comfy chair, a steaming mug of black coffee resting between my cupped hands…but I can't drink it…food turns seemed to turn my stomach as of late.

"Mr Kennedy?"

The suit across from me asks my name He looks young, maybe twenty-five, he has kind brown eyes and tidy mousy brown hair. It was strange seeing that face on a suits body, but no doubt, just like all the others before him he was going to no doubt ask me the same fucking questions.

_What exactly did you experience? _

_Were there any survivors? _

Raccoon City…that place…that hell, they wanted me to relive every second of what happened there over and over again. I squeezed my eyes shut as images of the rotting living corpses and skinless mutants came thundering back into my mind.

"Mr Kennedy…I understand that you have been involved in a serious traumatic incident but you have to-."

I didn't let the man finish, I stood up shakily but my anger and frustration is clear as see.

"Incident!?" I yell slamming my fist down on the table causing my coffee to splutter and undulate violently.

To the man's credit he didn't even flinch. That look of genuine pity and concern did not fade. Sighing softly the man laces his fingers together on the table and his eyes meet mine, "Leon, I'm not here to interrogate you I'm here to help"

I let out a sharp breath and sit back down and cupped the warm mug once more, "it was Umbrella and their virus…S.T.A.R.S had them down for what they were and you people did nothing!" My tone is bitter and resentful and that's how I want 'them' to feel. If they only knew how many people died….how many lives the government just covered up when they bombed Raccoon city to hell.

The man across from me didn't show the anger from my statement like the others. He simply straightened up placed his hands on his lap.

"Leave us," he said, motioning at the armed soldier by the door.

"Sir, we have orders not to leave Mr Kennedy unsupervised," The soldier barked monotonously somehow reminding me of those mindless freaks that only a week prior were trying to eat me alive.

"And I have a duty of care to make him feel as comfortable as possible, now leave," the man said with a silky smooth voice, not taking his eyes off me.

The soldier saluted and then left the room, leaving me with the man who continued to observe me.

"So, do you want to know how many men, woman and children's heads I had to crush to survive? You know I really enjoy reliving the most Horrific experience of my life," I said dryly, folding my arms.

"I'm not here to upset you Leon…The evidence you gave us on Umbrella is irrefutable but without a full report we can't bring them to justice, I'm sorry but you need to tell me everything,"

The man's seemed sincere which was a lot better than someone shining a torch in my eyes and bellowing at me for answers.

"Can I at least know your name?" I ask tentatively.

The man smiles reassuringly. "My name is Adam Benford, I report to the president and the president only, "

I smile, and for the first time it is out of relief. President Graham is a good man and this Adam seems nicer than most of those military fucks

I sigh and lean forward, a pointless act seeing as I _knew _for certain someone had to be monitoring us, "If I tell you everything…you have to promise me, the people I escaped with won't have any trouble from the **CIA** or **DSO** or anyone else…Their just kids," I couldn't let that happen. I made a promise to Claire and the others that they would be free from this nightmare.

Adam laced his fingers together on the table, "You tell us what we need to know, and they won't have to be brought in, you can end Umbrella,"

I swallow hard as I begin to recall the events at Raccoon city, "Okay…Then where should I start?" I ask.

"From the beginning," Adam said, removing his jacket before leaning back forward.

**Interview Terminated**

**STAGLA gas station and diner. **

**28th September 2011**

"You keep nursing that coffee it's gonna go to nothin'," The waitress said with a chuckle.

Leon shook his head and blinked rapidly before looking at her. It was his first day as a fully trained cop and he had missed it.

A mix up with the planes had left him stranded in Harvardville all day, what would have been an hours flight to raccoon city airport, turned into an inter-state road trip which had taken him at least half a day. He had decided to get an hours rest in a gas station and ended up having a three hour catnap, in short…he was exhausted.

"Here's another officer, on the house," The waitress said sweetly, offering him another coffee, black, no sugar.

"Excuse me?" Leon slurred tiredly, "Don't suppose you know a shortcut to Raccoon City?"

The waitress stopped for a moment and thought hard, with a hand on her hip.

"Well…you could go through the town up ahead would be the long way," Leon rolled his eyes, _long way_ was the last thing he wanted to hear right now.

The waitress continued to think for a moment before turning to a map of the area that was pinned to a notice board above the counter "but looking at this there's a forest path about half a mile from here that should take you right into the city limits," The waitress explained with a polite smile, "You sure you should be driving? You look pretty tired,"

Leon smirked and shook his head, "I just need a coffee…thanks,"

The waitress gave him a strange yet worried look, "No one's heard from the town in a few days…no calls are going through either" She explained.

Leon looked up at her with renewed interest; "Really?" he asked cupping the coffee in his hands and feeling the warmth spread through his fingerless gloves.

He took a sip and stared ahead thoughtfully.

"Yeah, things have been a little crazy down in raccoon lately cannibal killings, riots in the suburbs…don't know if you heard," The waitress explained with a strange grim look on her face.

Leon could vaguely remember seeing something about the killings on the news, it wasn't why he decided on a placement in raccoon city, but he was interested in finding out who was committing the atrocities. Leon looked at the waitress once more.

"I'll be careful," Leon drank down the rest of the coffee; wincing as it was a little too hot but bearable.

"Thanks for the coffee." Leon said with a nod of the head before the waitress left him to take an order from another customer. Leon sighed and rested his head in his hands, letting the caffeine do its work.

.O.

"So…why were you out there all alone?" Claire Redfield asked the boy sitting across from her.

The kid didn't answer but looked anxious, "Y'know, I could have been anyone…ever heard of stranger danger?"

The boy across from her sipped at the cocoa she had brought him and looked at her with dark eyes which were very intense for someone who looked so young.

"You seemed nice…besides, I'm eighteen anything I do is on my own head…" The boy admitted softly. He was British; no doubt about that but what surprised Claire was the revelation of his true age.

he looked at least four years younger, he was a few inches shorter than her and his face had soft features that seemed almost fragile…he looked skinny, like he hadn't eaten for a while. Hell she could almost see ribs through the light grey cardigan the boy was wearing.

"Oh…thank you I guess my names Claire, what's yours?" Claire asked, smiling.

"Alexander…Alex…I go by Alex these days," he said, with a tired laugh yet seeming a little wary of telling her his name.

"Alex…I was expecting something like Albert…or William?" Claire said with a giggle, although at the same time she hoped she hadn't offended him.

Alex gave her a small smile, "Well…Alexander is so…old… but I was hoping to get to raccoon city before Night…damn it…" He said as he looked out of the diner's window into the velvety blackness of night.

"Oh, Raccoon City, why didn't you say I was on my way there too…" Claire explained, "If you want I can take you as far as the college? Then I have to go see my brother,"

Alex looked back at her, "Oh, thank you,, I should have been for my induction days ago…There were problems with my student visa…" Alex admitted bashfully, as though that slight hiccup was an embarrassment.

Claire smiled softly "My brother works in the city, and I used to go that college…dropped out last year to travel the country…nothing but my bike and five thousand dollars to keep me company," Claire said with a little giggle.

"Sounds like a good plan but I want to be a nurse, help people…I come from a family of doctors," Alex explained, wringing his hands nervously but giving her a shy smile.

Claire narrowed her eyes in concern, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Alex smiled and nodded, "Yes, I'm fine…shall we Go?"

He stood up, leaving his hot chocolate half full.

"Yeah…cool," Claire replied standing up and watching as the boy walked past

.O.

Leon cursed softly as he dropped his car key on the floor. It didn't help that he could barely see straight and it was dark…hell he shouldn't even be driving, he was running on coffee and all he wanted to at this current moment in time was get to the city, go to his new apartment and die, Chief Irons could bitch at him tomorrow.

"FUCK!" A woman suddenly screamed, causing Leon to jump and drop his car key again causing him to growl softly. He turned to see a young woman at the gas pump behind him.

She looked young late teens. A real biker chick, she had light brown hair that was pulled into a pony tail, she wore a pink denim jacket with a wide collar and a picture of an angel with the heading _Made in heaven_ on the back, and a black undershirt, she wore blue denim shorts that showed off her shapely legs and western style boots that ended at the knee.

Leon shook his head, as hot as this woman was he was an officer of the law, and while in uniform he shouldn't be taking in every detail of some hot unknown woman. She seemed to be distressed about something though.

"Miss, Can I offer some assistance?" Leon asked, trying to sound as friendly as possible.

"Well…If you can fix this old girl then yeah…" She said putting her hands on her hips and sighing, before patting the big Harley next to her.

A thin boy stood behind her, eyeing Leon warily, he looked ill, pale, the duffle coat he was wearing seemed much too big for him, and considering it was still quite warm this time of year it looked quite strange, he didn't look hot at all, in fact he seemed to be shivering slightly.

"Miss, there's a garage round the back? I can fix her up for ya?" Came the voice of the most stereotypical mechanic Leon had ever seen, from the head to toe coating of bodily grease to the hairy plumbers crack, Leon struggled not to snort a laugh,"

"How much?" The woman said with a weary sigh.

"Won't know till I find out what's wrong with the beauty'" The mechanic said, puffing out his cheeks and looking over the motorcycle.

"Fine, Whatever…Officer? Are you heading towards raccoon city?" The woman asked.

Leon nodded, "Yeah…I'm not sure I can take you through…"

The woman glared, "Arrest me then, I need to get to the city, want me to hold up the diner?" She offered sarcastically, jerking her thumb at the diner.

"That isn't something you should threaten miss…does your brother need a lift too?" Leon offered, smiling at the boy behind her.

"Oh…he's not…" The woman began but the boy cut her off.

"Yes…please," He said quickly with a quick glance at the woman.

Leon thought for a moment before exhaling softly, "Hop in…" He said, opening the backseat door of the land-rover. The boy wasted no time in walking past Leon and hopping into the back seat.

"Always trust a cop huh?" The woman said smiling sweetly at Leon, "I'm Claire by the way," She said as she walked around the passenger side of the car.

"Officer Leon Kennedy," Leon replied, prompting Claire to smile again before looking over his shoulder.

"You take care of the old girl!" Claire called to the mechanic, who was already wheeling the bike to the garage who responded with a grunt.

Leon took one final look at the area before climbing into the rover and starting the engine.

As they pull out Leon could see a Man outside a large gas tank truck with a bloody bandaged arm on the phone.

"Yeah…fucker bit me…In the forest dumbass…yeah,, I'll have that shipment to raccoon soon,"

Leon thought for a moment…someone bit him. What the hell.

.O.

_Shortcut My Ass…_

Leon had been driving for an hour now, the clock on time's dashboard read 21:03 which marked his journey as a whole 24 hours and for a lack of a better phrase it would be a cold day in hell before he'd step foot in a car again...or at least until the morning.

"I think your little friends all tired out?" Leon said, checking the rear-view mirror to see the boy who he find out from Claire that his name was Alex, was fast asleep, laying across the backseats.

Claire smiled, "He's older than he looks…I found him out on the highway, hitching, he came here to study at Raccoon City college…hard to believe he came all the way here from the UK without enough money to get to Raccoon City…"

"You did good, picking him up like that, guy his size wouldn't have lasted long on that highway," Leon Admitted.

Claire smiled to herself before looking over at Leon and noticing his id badge underneath his leather jacket read RPD.

"You're R.P.D?" Claire asked. Leon nodded without raking his eyes off the road, "you might know my brother Chris Redfield, He's a member of RPD special tactics," Claire asked from the tone in her voice she was quite eager to know.

Leon looked at her for a moment, "S.T.A.R.S? I know _of _him, name only really, S.T.A.R.S have been headline news a lot lately…all that bullshit over cannibals in the Arklay mountains…crazy stuff…" Leon explained without looking at her memories of the headlines came rushing back.

"My brother is _not _crazy!" Claire hissed, folding her arms and clenching her jaw.

Leon didn't answer her; he just watched her and felt a pang of guilt, as she looked upset.

"It was hard for me to believe too… last time I called him he…sounded so sick and tired of everything," Claire admitted, her lower lip quivering for a moment before she looked at Leon with a slight blush of embarrassment. "Sorry…I don't usually wear my heart on my sleeve," Claire admitted, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Leon smiled back and looked at her, taking his eyes off the road, "It's fine, I'm a listener," he said with a grin, earning a chuckle from the girl before she looked back through the windshield; the smile still on her lips.

As he was about to turn back to keep his eyes on the road a scream made him almost jump out his skin.

"LOOK OUT!" Claire suddenly screamed pointing forwards.

Leon turned in time to see something dark dashing across the middle of the road before he rammed it causing the car to lurch violently and something dark to splat against the windshield.

"Shit!" Leon growled as he slammed the breaks on hard, he heard a yelp of surprise from the back seat and his own seat shudder as Alex was thrown into it.

"Jesus Christ!" Alex cried with a pained grunt, as he pulled himself back onto the seat, "Did we hit something?" He asked, looking around bewildered.

.O.

Claire nearly heaved when she stepped out of the car, the smell of road kill should have been something she was used to on her travels, but this was a whole new thing. Leon shone his small torch over the car bonnet, and illuminated what looked like rotted lumps of flesh strewn over the hood and grill.

"What _was_ this…" Alex asked, covering his mouth and nose with his hand in a pointless attempt to escape the stench.

"I think it was a dog…here's the head…" Leon said, shining his torch at one lump of flesh on the hood, it was a dog, but it looks like it' had been dead for days…smells like it too.

"Wasn't this moving before you hit it?" Claire asked grimacing as the smell got too much.

Leon began to pull the shattered remains off the hood, there was little blood, but what blood there was, was congealed.

"Jesus…I can't," Claire whispered before getting back in the car and slamming the door.

"It can't have been moving…it's…it looks like it's been dead for months…" Alex noted watching as Leon dragged the corpse back to the forest on the other side of the road.

"Get back in the Car!" Leon called, holding his breath so that the smell wouldn't make him vomit.

He dragged the corpse about six feet into forest before dropping the shattered remains.

"Sorry pooch…" Leon said guiltily.

He began to walk back towards the car when he heard a crunching sound behind him.

"Someone there?" Leon called shining his torch in the direction of the sound.

He couldn't quite make out what he saw, as it was far away, and the torch didn't quite illuminate it. He saw what looked like a person on their hands and knees over something big…judging by its movements it seemed to be…eating.

His eyes widened with a gasp as the first thing he thought of was the headlines….S.T.A.R.S…cannibals. He took a step back and winced when he stepped on a stick which broke with a resounding _crunch_! The figure suddenly snapped its head up and seemed to look at him. Leon's heart was pounding in his chest and his eyes were so wide they were set to pop out.

When the person began to stand Leon quickly turned and ran back to the car, a cold chill ripping down his spine as he tore the door open, ignoring Claire when she asked if anything was wrong. He turned the key and the car rumbled to life, he pressed his foot all the way down and the car sped off into the night, passing a sign which read…

_Welcome to Raccoon City. _

_.O. _

Claire felt a little worried watching Leon's pale face; She thought maybe he was ill from handling that dog…to be honest she still felt a little ill from the smell. A thought kept nagging at the back of her mind however…the dog had been dead for a while looking at it's remains; but she had definitely seen it run across the road.

"Leon, you sure you're okay?" Claire asked with a slight cock of the head.

Leon didn't answer her, but his brow furrowed slightly as trees faded to buildings. They had finally arrived.

Alex stirred softly in the back seat causing Claire to turn and look at him with a reassuring smile. "How about you?"

The boy turned from the window to look at her with a tired expression; he simply nodded with a smile.

Leon pulled over on the sidewalk and looked out the window at the street before him…empty.

"Strange…" Leon whispered.

"Where is everyone?" Claire asked; looking out the window into the dark streets. There was literally no life other than some trash getting blown around.

Leon swallowed hard, remembering what the waitress said about people going into the city and not returning. He shook his head of such thoughts; perhaps the killings had forced the city council to enforce a curfew. But if so, why did it feel as though the city itself was dead.

"Look!" Alex piped up from the backseat of the car; his eyes fixed on a diner across the road from where they were parked.

Surely enough through the window there were two shadows. One seemed to be backing away while the other advanced slowly and clumsily…as though drunk.

"What the hell…" Claire whispered her eyes narrowing at the sight. The advancing shadow suddenly lunged at the other and they both went down.

From the car they could still hear the screams…screams that chilled them to the core.

.O. End of Chapter .O.

A/n The first story of my Resident evil Chronicles series, This will be following Leon as the narrator and will span free stories, based on a reimagined, 2, Code Veronica And 4.

This story will be Resident evil 2 but will draw a lot from RE 1.5 such as characters and monsters Also Alex is an OC…I has plans for him, Don't worry he isn't some perfect princess, Hopefully he'll fit right in

Okay…I'm now thinking of mixing this story with RE3 nemesis… that game is too epic to ignore…but RE1 is the same…so I will not be writing it…however there will be mentions of Lisa Trevor…so its based off the remake.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Dead Blood**

"What the fuck…" Claire breathed almost to herself as she took in what she had just seen.

Leon swallowed the lump in his throat and looked at Claire, "I'm going to check it out, you and Alex stay Here," he said before opening the car door to be welcomed by a cool breeze. There was a strange sickly scent on the air he couldn't quite place but it still made his stomach turn as he remembered what he had seen in the forest.

He felt a hand grab at his arm. Claire was giving him a concerned look and Alex was peeking from in-between the seats with the same look.

"I'm not staying here; I'm coming with you,"

Leon would have smirked if not for the seriousness in her voice. "I mean it," She finished.

Leon sighed, "I'm the cop remember, I'm supposed to be the one protecting and serving you guys," He replied before gently pulling his arm free of her grasp and stepping outside the car and closing the door behind him. He barely made it five steps before he heard car doors opening and closing twice.

"Leon, you could get hurt in there," said Claire as she walked up to him, "Chris taught me some self-defence skills so you don't have to worry about me,"

Leon rolled his eyes, "Fine, what about you Alex?"

"Got this," He admitted holding up a black metallic object.

Leon's eye's widened slightly, "A stun-gun…how in holy hell did you get one of those in England," Leon asked sounding intrigued aswell as annoyed.

"Internet," Alex admitted plainly.

"Fine, but you're leaving that at the station when we're done okay," Leon ordered, to which the boy nodded in response.

"Come on then, and stay close to me,"

They began to walk to the diner each of them feeling a deep seated sense of dread as the building drew closer.

"Anyone else feel like lambs right now?" Claire asked the breath hitching as she listened for anymore screams, no one answered her.

Leon reached the door first and gripped the handle of his own pistol, a VP-70. He hadn't been issued a weapon by the department yet so the VP-70 was his own, a Christmas present from his dad a sort of congratulatory present.

He lifted the weapon slightly before beating on the door of the diner.

"RPD! Anyone there?" He asked, his strong clear tone betraying his anxiety.

He pushed at the door and found it swung open easier than he was ready for causing his heart to find a new home in his throat.

He raised his gun and walked into the diner. Fortunately the lights were still on which made it easier to look over the area. After deciding it was clear he signalled over his shoulder for the others to follow.

He turned to Claire and Alex who seemed just as on edge as he was which was strangely comforting although he was supposed to be the calm one.

"See anyone…anything?" Claire asked rubbing her arm and looking around the seemingly deserted diner.

"No, Can't hear anyone either, maybe whoever was being attacked escaped out back," Leon said holstering his pistol.

"Um…Leon, look at this,"

Leon turned to see Alex was kneeling by one of the booths around the area they saw the apparent attack. The table and floor was smeared with blood. There were handprints aswell as was looked like small chunks of shredded flesh. But what was more disturbing was a thick trail of red leading around the counter.

"How did I not…Jesus" Leon breathed as his eyes followed the trail.

Alex stood and began to follow the trail slowly and trying to avoid stepping in it before coming to the end of the trail. The trail disappeared under a door to the bathroom it was slightly open and he could hear the strangest sound behind it. It sounded like tearing wet meat and soft moaning.

"Hello?" he said softly as he reached for the door handle, "I'm a nurse…I can help…"

"Alex no!" Leon hissed as he went to follow.

But the door was open…and the sight that greeted them.

Alex was frozen in place when he saw what was waiting for him turned his stomach.

A man was hunched over a woman, savagely ripping his head from side to side and pulling chunks off her stomach, the soft moaning had become snarls.

Leon was barely half-way to reaching the boy before the man twisted around at an inhuman speed to face the terrified young man.

"God!" Alex near screamed when he saw the man's face. Although smeared with fresh blood and flesh, his face was cracked and his lips seemed to have been ripped from his face resulting in a red toothy grin. His eyes were sunken and bloodshot and Alex could see in them a hunger that he could never possibly feel.

"Alex run!" Leon yelled as he reached the boy, but before he could do anything the man let out a completely feral snarl and lunged faster than Leon or Alex could react. The impact was strong enough to knock Leon on his back after slipping in the blood.

"Fuck!" Claire cried in sheer shock as she began to run to the fallen pair.

Alex screamed as the man pinned him, snapping his vile teeth at the boy and dripping blood on his face. "Get him off!" Alex screamed over and over as he was barely able to hold the man back and his stun gun had already skittered across the room and under one of the booths.

"Get the fuck off him!" Claire suddenly screamed before grabbing the man and heaving him off Alex.

The man was snarling and furiously trying to snap at Claire over his shoulder before she threw him back into the bathroom. He lost his footing momentarily before his head smashed into the mirror.

"Come on, get up," Leon whispered softly to Alex as he helped the boy to his feet.

"He's coming again" Alex whimpered as he backed away with Leon and Claire. Sure enough the man had regained his footing and started to advance in long clumsy strides; one arm outstretched and short snarls and moans escaping his lipless mouth.

"Back off!" Leon growled as the three backed away. He pulled raised his pistol and aimed squarely at the man's head.

The man didn't stop, Saliva dripped from his mouth and his eye's blazed with hunger.

"Leon he's not gonna stop!" Claire cried as they finally backed into the far booth. They were cornered.

"FUCK!" Leon roared as the man was literally three feet in front of them before the gun exploded in his hands.

The wet dark jelly of brain matter exploded out the back of the man's skull and he fell back like a tower of bricks before he landed in the blood and brain with a heavy wet _smack_.

Leon felt like throwing up as he lowered the pistol. He could Feel Alex breathing in short quick breaths behind him.

"Shit…god…" Leon whispered as he looked at what was left of the fallen man's head and slumped to the ground between Alex and Claire.

Claire Kneeled beside him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Leon…you did what you had to," she said softly. Fear still evident in her voice despite the physical feat of throwing the obviously diseased man across the room.

Leon put his face in his hands and let out a long breath, "first day and I… I killed a man,"

.o.

"_He was crazy…he would have killed us,"_

_"That's no excuse,"_

Sound seemed to drown out for Alex as a realisation swept over him like a wave as putrid as the scent he suddenly caught. He slowly walked over to the corpse and knelt down next to it. He looked it up and down and reached to touch the cold clammy skin of his arm. When the man had grabbed him he didn't feel warm. In fact he was ice cold and the smell he gave off was rancid.

"Don't touch him!" Claire snapped, causing Alex to snap out of his investigative trance.

He stood slowly. He was white as a sheet.

He swallowed once as Leon and Claire watched him carefully.

"Do either of you have a knife?" He asked, still somewhat out of it.

"Alex what…" Claire began.

"I need to check something," they both looked at him somewhat worried and quizzical, "Please,"

Claire opened the small bag that hung at her hip and pulled out a small switchblade before handing it to Alex.

The boy said nothing as he knelt beside the body again and pulled the knife part of the switchblade out and cut into the man's arm.

His eye's widened immediately, "Coagulated," he said barely above a whisper as he looked at the almost blood on the knife which was lumpy and sticky.

"Alex what the hell are you doing," Leon asked with growing frustration.

Alex turned to Leon and Claire with a look of absolute disbelief as his mouth worked to form a coherent sentence which could make what he was about to say sound sane.

"Alex," Claire said softly as she walked to him and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"T…this man was already dead," Alex said somewhat tonelessly.

Claire narrowed her eyes before pulling him gently away from the corpse and sitting him down at one of the booths and kneeling in front of him.

"What?" She breathed as Leon stood to stand beside her with a look of equal disbelief.

Alex looked at them both before speaking again, "When…he grabbed me he felt cold and smelled like road kill…but after Leon shot him…his blood was coagulated when it should have still been fresh,"

"What does that mean?" Leon asked his tone calmer and softer.

Alex looked up at him, "Like I said…he was already dead," he whispered.

A sudden squealing noise caught their attention and nearly made them jump out their skin. It was a car alarm just outside.

"My car?" Leon said to himself as he cracked open the curtains to look outside. He could see the blaring orange lights of his rover flashing and what they illuminated made his blood run cold.

"Shit…"

There was a dozen of them at least, Just shambling around street outside. He could make out more coming and tried to crane his head to get a better look before something slammed up against the glass. There were more of those crazy people. And now they knew there was fresh meat just behind barely a centimetre of glass.

"We have to go, now." Leon called over his shoulder as he backed away from the rotted faces pressing up against the window. One was a man, the entire front of his face ripped off to reveal muscle tissue and bone aswell as a missing eye. Another was a woman who although less torn up and fresher than the man still had the same enraged hungry expression.

The window suddenly shattered and Leon twice hitting the man in the chest, pushing him back and the woman in the throat from which blood leaked like thick syrup. Both wounds should have killed them…but they kept coming.

"FIRE EXIT!" Claire Yelled. She grabbed Leon by the arm and tried to hurry him along.

Alex had already made it to the door and pushed the bar to open it just as the two…_creatures_ managed to clamber through the shattered window; cutting themselves up in the process.

"Come on!" he called to Leon and Claire who only just made it through the door before Alex slammed it shut.

The three of them hurried down a small set of steps that led to a seemingly deserted alley, they could see the creatures shambling around in the street but fortunately they hadn't seen the fresh meat yet.

Claire looked around the alley for a moment before looking at Leon with desperation in her eyes.

"What now? What is this some kind of virus?" She asked quietly so not as to be heard.

Alex though for a moment, "None that I can think of, rabies doesn't cause decomposition or blood clots..." Alex explained watching whatever those people were carefully.

"Look we don't have time to ask questions," Leon snapped. He bit his lip and thought for a moment before he something just over Claire's shoulder caught his attention.

"Look, a police cruiser!" He hissed in an almost exited tone as he pointed out the vehicle.

Claire turned to look, as did Alex. The vehicle was deserted and none of those things seemed interested in it, they could make out a cage in the back which was no doubt reserved for dogs used by the police force.

"There aren't any around it…maybe they're more attracted sound?" Alex said somewhat scared and curious.

Claire looked back to Leon, "It's worth a shot, but what if it's locked?" She asked, fearful.

"Break the window?" Alex offered not taking his eyes off the congregation surrounding Leon's car.

"But the noise!" Claire hissed

"Fuck the noise, we don't have time to debate this," Leon snarled in response as loud banging on the fire exit door behind them.

"After three,"

"Leon…" Claire whimpered, looking at the car across the road that seemed miles away.

"Three…two…one,"

All three of them took off as fast as their legs would carry them. None of them dared to look at the crazed people despite the alerted snarls and hisses.

Leon reached the cruiser first and to his overwhelming relief the door opened without protest. Claire Climbed into the passenger seat and Alex into the back, slamming and locking the doors behind them.

"Okay…key, key?" Leon said under his breath as he frantically looked around the interior.

"Come on, Leon…" Claire said to herself as the creatures advanced on the car.

"Sun visor!" Alex called from the back.

Leon looked up at the most stereotypical place a key could be ever and pulled it down. Against all laws of probability it was there shining and happy to help. Leon grabbed it and jammed it into the ignition making the engine roar to life.

"Hold on!" Leon yelled as he slammed his foot on the gas sending the car speeding away from the advancing snarling creatures.

.O.

The streets flew by in a blur as Leon kept his foot pressing the gas pedal to the floor.

"Leon…slow down, where are we even going?" Claire asked biting her nails anxiously and shivering.

"Out of town, I'm going to get you two, somewhere safe and call CEDA or something…" Leon explained without losing his concentration on the road.

Claire turned to him with a blaze of anger in her eyes, "what…NO! Chris is in the town somewhere I'm not leaving!" she cried as she went to undo her seatbelt, "Stop the car,"

"No,"

"Stop the fucking car!" She screamed.

"Claire…" Alex said softly from behind her.

She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and looked at it for a moment before throwing it on the floor.

"Not a damn bar… Leon please I need to find him, he might be at the station," Claire pleaded.

Leon looked at her before slowing the care down to a speed that was safe.

"Damn it…Look in the glove compartment," Leon said gritting his teeth in frustration.

Claire looked down at the compartment in question before opening it and putting her hand inside. Her fingers brushed against something metallic, smooth and cold.

"Standard issue for RPD officers, browning HP, thirteen round capacity," Leon explained.

"I don't have much experience," Claire admitted, "Chris never let me around guns,"

Leon could have at the thought of an over-protective brother and hoped that if he ever met him he wouldn't be too pissed. He turned to her, "Just know who you're shooting and hope you don't have to use it, Look…I'm sorry about earlier…I have friends in the RPD…there's anyone left in the city it would be them, We should at least know for sure."

"Leon I…thank you, but what about Alex?" She said suddenly remembering the boy in the backseat.

He looked conflicted, was it cruel of them to have to drag him into this? If they left he would probably be killed.

Alex was about to answer before a faint scent caught him by surprise. He leant back in the seat and the scent grew stronger.

"Alex what's wrong,"

"Do you guys smell that," Alex asked looking around the car for the source before something dark slammed into the dog cage behind him causing him to cry out and Leon to swerve causing the door of the cage to open and whatever was inside lunged at the back of the seats, snarling and snapping for Alex's face.

A bloodied German Shepard was struggling violently against its lead which was still attached to the cage keeping it from just about getting to Alex who was struggling to remove his seatbelt.

"Hold on!" Leon yelled as he Swerved once more causing Alex's seatbelt to finally give and the boy to fall on the floor behind the driver's seat. He could see the beasts head glaring at him with patches of skin missing. This affliction seemed to affect animals too.

"Shit!" Claire hissed when she got a good look at the monstrous dog and it's snapping seemingly elongated fangs, she angled the pistol at the creature and fired the gun nearly jumping out of her hands. The shot missed the dog and shattered the back passenger window. Glass cascaded over Alex who screamed and shielded himself while some flew into the driver's seat causing Leon to swerve violently once more.

"LEON WALL!" Claire screamed shielding her eyes just as Leon cleared his.

He slammed on the breaks hard enough for him to Feel Alex slam violently into the backseat for the second time that night and the dogs lead snapped sending it flying between the seats, between Leon and Claire and through the windshield which smashed and sent the creature through.

The dog hit the wall hard enough to shatter anything's bones to Jelly and it was promptly joined by the car which slammed into the brick wall and crushed what was left of the dog. The front end was crushed like an old can while the back lifted about five feet before slamming back down to earth.

All was silent.

.O.

Leon was the first to wake and was faced with the impossible realisation upon waking and seeing that he was now barely three foot away from the wall and the engine was now sticking through the windshield, that he was alive.

"Claire…" He grunted as he pulled his face out of the airbag.

The girl was awake if not dazed and in shock. She was bleeding from a small cut on her forehead but otherwise appeared fine.

"I…I'm fine…I…Alex…Alex," She whimpered turning herself and causing glass to tinkle out of the shattered window from the slight movement. She could just about make out the boy's boots. He wasn't moving.

"God…God no," She whispered, a tear falling down her cheek, "How did this happen…A few…a few hours ago everything was normal…god…"

Leon turned to her his neck aching like a bitch, "Should have listened to that waitress," He said with a weak laugh, "Can you move?"

Claire grimaced and moved her legs, "I'm a bit stiff but yeah…I can move,"

"Good…me too… got your gun?" Leon asked.

Claire lifted her hand to show she still had it before tucking it into her belt.

"We need to get out of this car…but…we have to leave the body," Leon said softly gesturing to where Alex lay unmoving.

Claire nodded as she fought back tears for the kid. She and Leon both opened their respective doors with a firm shove before stepping out into the cold deserted street where the only sounds were the last sputters of the car's radiator.

Claire limped around the car as fast as her bruised but otherwise miraculously unharmed body would carry her before she clutched Leon's arm for support.

"Is…The station…close?" Claire asked looking down the deserted street and saw a police barricade erected on the far side aswell as deserted cars with smashed windows and blood…lots of blood.

"Not far…I…" A weak mewl of pain caught his attention.

"Help…me," the soft pained voice whimpered again.

Claire's eye's widened immediately as she turned to the car.

"Alex," Leon said in complete shot as soft cries and groans continued to emanate from the demolished car.

The two of them rushed to the car and began to pull on the stuck before it finally gave and a small body tumbled out, trapped between in the seats. Bloodied and battered.

Leon caught Alex in his arms before he hit the ground.

"I almost left you…oh my god…Alex I'm so sorry," Leon apologized over and over.

"My legs…They're stuck," Alex moaned as he tried to pull them free and cried out in pain.

Claire placed her hands on the seat which had fallen all the way back after the crash and trapped the boy but they weren't budging easily.

"No luck," She looked down at Alex and knelt down to stroke his hair out of his eyes before looking at Leon.

"We're gonna have to pull him free by hand, these seats aren't going to move,"

She looked back down at Alex and bit her lip, "This is going to hurt," He admitted, more to himself than anything, he could feel something sharp pressing into his leg and whatever it was, was about to rip through.

Claire and Leon each took an arm and stood up so that Alex was hanging limply between them. He turned his head so he didn't have to see his own leg being mutilated.

Before they could pull a loud horn suddenly sounded.

"What the hell was that?" Leon cried in shock looking around as a low rumbling began to sound as something big approached, fast.

A massive oil tank truck cam screeching down the road their own car had followed only a few minutes ago, heading straight towards them.

"He's not stopping is he…?" Claire whispered, and when she could make out the twitching mad eyed man the in the driver's seat who wasn't actually driving her suspicions were confirmed.

"Jesus PULL!" Leon roared as the tanker came closer and closer to crushing them.

Ignorant Alex's cries of pain they pulled hard on him and with a final massive yank a shot of searing hot pain shot through the his leg and he came free. Blood began to seep through the wound on his shin but before anyone could get a decent look at it Alex was in swept up in Leon's arms and being carried away just as the explosion hit.

The tanker slammed into the remains of the police car as the three of them just cleared it before it tipped on its side sending gasoline cascading into the sparking remains of a fallen street lamp.

The explosion was spectacular to say the least as Claire was thrown onto the ground crying out in pain as her bruised body throbbed while Alex was flung out of Leon's arms and landed on the bonnet of a car before sliding to the ground and whimpering in pain.

As the explosion calmed in its wake a fire roared. Leon's vision swam as He lifted himself to his feet. While Claire ran to help Alex and wrapped an arm around him to steady him.

The path out of town was blocked…there was no turning back.

The only way to go was forwards to the RPD where hopefully it would be safe.

. Of Chapter.O.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Safety is an Illusion. **

**Interview Resuming/ 22/11/11/ Leonard Scott Kennedy.**

I watch Adam's reaction carefully.

The young man takes a sip from his coffee and clears his throat before looking me in the eye with what appeared to be concern?

"So…You think I'm crazy?" I ask him.

The man doesn't speak. He reaches down and I cannot see what he takes hold off but a moment later a file slides across the table towards me.

I open it with shaking hands and papers and pictures come sliding out. I'm confronted with the horrors I faced. Half formed creatures and research notes with T-virus dotted on them…it's all I see.

_T-virus G-Virus T-virus G-virus… _"Fuck!" I yell before I swipe the files onto the floor. I refused to look at them.

"Everything alright in there!" I hear the guard behind the door yell.

"We're fine," Adam says calmly before leaning forward to look me dead in the eye.

"We received these research notes from an anonymous source, friend of yours?" Adam asks with a slight smile.

My eyes widen as I think back.

"_We can use these Leon…I'll save the files," _

_God…thank you Alex…_

"Like I said, I don't want anyone else brought into this," I say barely above a whisper as I clench my fingers against the metal table.

Adam sighs and nods, "Leon…I promise you that this is strictly confidential, no-one else will be pulled in,"

I can feel the honesty in his voice and I look at him once more.

"I need to know the rest of what happened…carry on,"

**Interview Terminated.**

* * *

The heat from the fire was unfathomable.

Leon backed away from the raging flames. He was never driving again after this.

"Alex, we need to stop the bleeding…" Claire said softly.

Leon walked away from the fire and up to Claire and Alex. The boy was propped up against the car with Claire kneeling beside him.

"You gonna be okay?" I asked Alex who turned and looked at me. He was quite pale and obviously in shock.

He looked down at his leg and saw that although the wound wasn't too deep but it was bleeding quite badly.

"I…I need a tourniquet...a belt…bandage…anything," Alex gasped softly.

Leon looked around for a stray rag in the dilapidated street and noticed all the blood splattered on the ground; Deserted cars, broken windows, Corpses.

The fire illuminated everything.

He shuddered at the gruesome site before looking back at Alex who was giving him a pleading look.

Leon reached down to his belt and unbuckling it before sliding it out. He kneeled down next to Alex and looked at him.

"Tie it…just above the wound…tight," The boy explained.

Leon looked down at the bleeding wound before lifting the leg. He was met with a cry of pain from Alex who gripped Claire's hand with enough force to make her wince. He lowered the leg before looping the belt above the wound before tying it as tight as his could.

A scream ripped from Alex, his back arching and his free fist clenching against the ground.

"Okay, Alex" Claire whispered softly stroking the boy's hair.

Sure enough, the blood began to slow and eventually stopped flowing to some extent.

Alex opened his eye's slowly and looked down at the wound. He could see the jagged gash was not as deep as he thought but deep enough to be potentially dangerous.

"We need to get to the station…This is going to need stitches…" Alex explained grimacing in pain as he shifted his leg.

Leon looked at Claire with a thoughtful expression, "There's an infirmary at the station…with any luck the supplies haven't been raided"

Claire looked worried as she looked down at the wound before looking at Alex, "Can you walk?" She asked.

Alex chuckled weakly, "I might need a shoulder…"

Claire complied immediately. She slid her arm under his and began to lift the boy up and hoisted his arm around her shoulders while he gripped her waist.

"Okay…" Alex whispered to himself as he shifted some wait on his bad leg. The pain was bearable but he wouldn't be running any time soon.

"So how are we getting to the station?" Claire asked, looking around, "The roads blocked,"

Leon looked over his shoulder and saw the large road block. Cars were pushed up against it as a sort of makeshift barricade. Leon wondered how none of this could have been reported. Seemingly dead people walking around and killing everyone would have been breaking news and surely the army would have cut off all entrances into the city.

"Leon!" Claire snapped.

Leon grit his teeth and looked around for any open areas or alleys that could lead to the station, a shortcut. Part of his police training and induction to the RPD required him to study maps of the city to look at all patrol routes. He could see from their position an alley which was just to the left of the barricade and could see a Gun store over the wall which lined the left side of the street, _Kendos. _

"This way," Leon said and began walking down the street with Claire and Leon following.

Aside from the fire the streets were silent. Crows could be heard aswell as the wind but other than that, Nothing.

"Does it still hurt?" Claire asked Alex who seemed to be doing well and wasn't slowing her down.

"It's not too bad…stings like hell," The boy admitted with a breathy laugh.

They kept walking until Leon suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Wait!" He hissed as a smell that he had been dreading hit his nostrils. Claire and Alex stopped in place watching Leon carefully and not even daring to breathe. He turned his head to the right to find the source of the stench and his eye's widened so much his eyes nearly fell out of his head.

There were two of them down the alley just standing in place and facing away. They swayed in place and Leon noticed how cut up they were. They looked more decomposed than the others they had seen so far. One was a man in a black shirt, his skin was yellowed and cracked and part of his abdomen was ripped away with entrails hanging from them.

The other was a girl, barely older than sixteen. Parts of her scalp were missing and an arm had been ripped away. She wore denim shorts and a tank top and her legs were missing chunks of flesh and muscle so the bone was visible.

"Move…quietly," Leon almost mouthed as he waved overhead to the others who looked terrified and unsure.

"Come on!" Leon hissed again and began to walk slowly. He didn't take his eyes off the people in the alley.

Ever so quietly they crept by the alley. They kept moving under a light _crunch! _Rang out.

The noise wouldn't have been noisy in any other circumstance but now it was light an explosive crash which echoed down the alley.

Claire paled and looked down; she lifted her foot from the glass from a shattered car window and couldn't help but look down the alley. The creatures were now facing them eye's wild and chests heaving.

"Shit RUN!" Leon yelled as the creatures began to shamble down the alley.

Gunshots rang out as Claire and Alex ran ahead trying to ignore Leon's yelling and the creatures snarling.

Claire moved as fast as she could with Alex hanging off her. They rounded the corner into the alley and stopped dead in their tracks. Three of them were dead ahead and had noticed the two frozen meals at the opening of the alley.

One snarled and began to shamble towards them with the others following them. The rotted creatures were almost upon them before a loud shot rang out and one of the creature's heads exploded to mush the others heads exploded shortly after.

"Leon!?" Claire cried out looking behind her.

She could see him running up to them, followed by the two creatures from the alley who were riddled with bloodless bullet holes and trying to hobble as fast as they could, snapping their teeth and snarling after their escaping prey.

"RUN!" Leon yelled.

Claire looked back towards the alley and saw a large middle aged man in a bloodied white T-shirt standing outside the gun store holding a Remington shotgun. A sheen of sweat caused his face to glow under the light above the shop window and obscure his features.

"In Here!" the man called before running back into the shop.

"Hurry!" Leon cried grabbing Alex's other arm and moving it around his shoulders. The three ran down the alley before literally throwing themselves into the store before Leon slammed the door behind him.

* * *

"That was too close," Leon sighed as he braced himself against the cool wood of the door.

Claire propped Alex against a rifle display case before looking at the man who had saved them. He looked back at her with his eye's narrowed.

He cleared his throat with a sigh and placed his shotgun on the counter before folding his arms.

"Damn," Leon sighed with a small laugh, "Thanks for this," he continued before walking up to the man with his hand out to shake his hand.

"Leon…" Alex said cautiously.

Leon ignored him and carried on walking, "We were almost…"

The man suddenly lunged and Grabbed Leon's arm. He simultaneously pulled Leon's handgun from the holster, twisted his arm behind his back and pinned him to the counter before placing the gun to the back of the cops head.

"What the fuck!" Leon cried out as he struggled against the man's grip.

"Were you bit?" The man asked in a calm deep voice.

"What!?" Leon asked incredulously.

"Were you bitten," The man asked again just as calmly and pressed the gun harder to Leon's head for incentive.

"Do something!" Alex yelled in terror.

Claire quickly walked over to the man and placed her gun against his temple. "Get off him," She growled.

The man laughed before taking the gun away from Leon and letting the other man go. He backed away to the large glass window at the front of the store with his hands up.

"Okay…okay beautiful, no need to get hasty,"

Claire didn't let the man out her sites and kept the gun raised, she seriously didn't want to shoot him but at this current moment he was dangerous.

The man placed Leon's gun on the floor before kicking it over to the man who was leaning against the counter and rubbing his sore shoulder.

The man smiled again, "I just wanted to make sure none of you were bitten…you guys made some noise out there, bound to wake some of the dead,"

Alex limped over to the counter and took hold of Leon to steady him as he stood.

"Tell me you aren't suggesting what I think you are?" Alex asked as his brain worked overtime to process the information that was currently assaulting all reason.

"Call them what you want, Monsters, Zombies, Walkers, they're all the same walking dead meat, and if you get bit, you end up like them," The man explained with somewhat worrying flippancy.

Claire leaned against the counter unable to comprehend what the man just said.

"How long…since this started," She asked her voice cracking.

"Just after that shit with S.T.A.R.S a few weeks later the riots, and three days before you guys turned up…well…exodus," The man explained looking through the front window.

"Robert Kendo, nice to meet you," The man greeted as he walked up to the shocked trio and shook each one's hand.

Leon straightened up before leaning down to pick up his VP.

"Why was none of this on the news? Where the fuck is the military?" Leon asked as he holstered the weapon.

Kendo shrugged, "The Phones and the net are down, it happened so fast that the SWAT teams and UBCS soldiers barely stood a chance…guess they didn't know headshots were the way to go…"

"Headshots?" Claire asked raising an eyebrow.

Kendo nodded, "Yeah, only way to put them down, anyway don't suppose you guys are sticking around, where are you headed?" Kendo asked, before walking to the front door of the store and locking it.

"The station," Leon replied simply, "Our friend needs medical too," he continued, gesturing to Alex.

Kendo looked over at Alex and saw the fearful look on the boy's face.

"Don't worry kiddo, I can tell that's not a bite," Kendo said with a reassuring grin.

Leon walked up to him carefully so not to risk injury from the worryingly calm man. "Look…I know we owe you for saving us out there…but this store looks pretty stocked…if you could spare some ammo and weapons we'd stand a stand a better chance,"

Kendo thought for a moment before walking over to one of the display cases and pulling out a glock17 handgun and a small box of nine millimetre bullets. He loaded the clip before walking up to Alex and handing it grip first to the boy who took it tentatively.

"It's simple, point and pull the trigger, look down the sights and try to hit them in the head," Kendo explained before lowering the muzzle that was pointed at him in the boy's hands, "and don't point it at your friends," he finished with a grin.

"Thanks…" Alex replied, unsure.

"There's a bag under the counter, take as much as you need just don't weigh yourselves down,"

Claire touched the man's arm causing him to look at her as Leon walked behind the counter to start stocking up.

"Thanks and all…but what about you," Claire asked, concerned.

Kendo looked around the store then back at her.

"This is my home, I'll die here," He said softly and looking absently around the somewhat small store.

Claire sighed and looked away from him before joining Leon who was stuffing the rucksack with ammo, a shotgun and a first aid spray he had found.

A dull thump suddenly caught the groups attention and they turned their heads to the front of the store. One of the creatures had reached the window and had begun clawing and hitting the glass, eyes wild with hunger.

"Shit!" Kendo growled, grabbing the Remington off the counter, "you guys need to go!"

Alex gasped and hobbled to the fire exit at the side of the store, "Hurry up!" he called after Leon and Claire who were frantically stocking up.

More of them were coming now…half a dozen, a dozen, they all seemed to melt into each other as they snarled and frantically started to bash at the window. It wouldn't hold for long.

"Okay, that's enough!" Leon called over the joint efforts of the creatures outside to break in. The window started to crack.

Leon and Claire ran to the fire exit before Leon turned to Kendo who looked determined as he raised his shotgun to the soon to shatter window.

"Kendo!" Claire yelled over the straining sound of glass and the creature's snarls. The man didn't budge.

There was an ear splitting shattering noise as the window finally gave and the dead started filing through, hungry and angry.

Kendo fired, one of the creatures heads exploding and splattering it's brethren with brains and blood and sent it crumpling to the ground, tripping a couple of them.

"Kendo there's too many PLEASE!" Claire screamed again as Leon opened the fire exit, ready for them to run through.

Kendo hesitated for a moment before growling, "fuck" And running to join the others. They piled through the door just as the creatures reached it. Leon and Kendo braced themselves against the door to close it against the weight of the crazed creatures behind it. Eventually they managed to shut it.

Growls and clawing sounded from behind the door which caused it to shudder and vibrate.

Kendo panted as he pressed his forehead against the wood of the door.

Leon placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry…if we didn't show up." Leon said apologetically.

Kendo shook his head, "Nah…" he turned to look at Claire and Alex.

"Dying in the town I was born I can handle, but turning into one of those things…never, Besides, we have to make sure the kids are safe," He said ruffling Alex's hair.

Alex huffed in annoyance before looking down through the narrow alley they were in. It looked deserted aside from the rancid stench of garbage and the stink of rotten flesh which was flowing from under the door.

"Can we get to the station from here?" Claire asked.

Kendo nodded, "Yeah, I know a way, keep your weapons ready," He said before walking down the alley.

"You guys ready?" Leon asked, shifting the bag of weapons and ammo on his shoulder, the muzzle of a shotgun and barrel of a rifle poking out the top.

"Yeah…just don't go too far ahead," Alex said looking down at his wound.

Leon nodded before following Kendo around the corner.

* * *

The alley seemed safe for the most part and the frenzied banging of the dead behind the fire exit door had faded.

As they rounded the corner they came across an open gate and a chain chain-link fence which led to a deserted basketball court. Graffiti was painted on the walls and the laughter of the kids who used to play in the area seemed to echo like the ghost of an old memory.

Alex rubbed his arms together and despite it still being summer he felt cold, he shuddered as the cold metal of his handgun touched his arm. He sat down on a bench with tears in his eyes. He felt the weight on the bench shift as Claire sat with him and nudged him gently with her elbow.

"How you holding up?" She asked with a smile.

"Shit," Alex said simply with a grim laugh.

Claire didn't respond, she just took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Alex smiled in return.

On the other end of the area Leon walked up to Kendo while he shut and locked the gate to prevent them from being followed.

"Did…you see any kids like them?" Leon asked, the disturbing thought having entered his mind the moment he set foot in the playing area.

"Yes," Kendo said simply as he slid the bolt of the gate shut.

"Jesus…" Leon sighed as he leaned against the gate.

"When the dead started comin…I saw kids, families, hell…I saw a woman eating her own baby while it was strapped in a stroller…she just turned…faster than you could blink…" Kendo said. Growing pale.

Leon started to feel sick before he grabbed Kendo's arm and turned the larger man.

"What is this? A virus?" Leon asked desperately.

Kendo plucked his hand off him, "I don't fuckin know,"

The man walked past Leon and made his way to the gate on the other side of the court.

"We need to get going now," He called to the others.

Claire and Alex stood up and walked through the gate that was being held open by Kendo. Once they were through he turned to Leon.

"Are you coming?" He called across the court to the cop who still looked disturbed. Leon shrugged the bag back onto his shoulder before following Kendo through the door which was closed and locked just after.

"Look, you can see the station!" Alex called from up a flight of stairs. Leon looked up the metal steps and quickly jogged up them and saw Alex and Claire leaning against the rails. Sure enough Leon could see the station from the side.

It looked intact and the lights were on. The front courtyard was empty and the front gate was closed and most likely locked. He sighed in relief, there was a good chance people were alive inside if the gate was locked from inside the courtyard.

He looked at the surrounding area and could see some of the creatures walking around the street outside the station. The street was littered with bodies, some being fed on while and a bus was blocking half the street, wedged in between the station wall and some stores.

"We don't have time to be sight-seeing people, move," Kendo called as he walked down the metal catwalk.

Alex and Leon followed after him while Claire remained behind for a moment.

"Chris…please be there…" She pleaded out loud before following the others.

They walked down another set of stairs leading to a small opening blocked by a large metal trash can.

"Shit, more of them," Leon hissed as one of the creatures appeared behind the trash can and tried to grab them over it. He fired once into the former woman's head sending her toppling backwards and cracking her skull on the opposite wall with a loud grunt.

"Follow me over quick!" Kendo growled before hoisting himself over the obstacle.

"Wait damn it!" Leon yelled as he followed Kendo.

"Come on, I'll help you over," Claire offered a hand to Alex who took it and allowed himself to be hoisted over the trash can.

When they caught up with the two men they were shooting at the two remaining creatures in the alley who toppled to the ground instantly.

Kendo turned to the two of them and beckoned them to follow before opening the gate at the far side of the alley.

"Not far now!" He called as he ran through with the others following him into the street just outside the station.

More of the creatures were in the street but they seemed preoccupied with eating something that was a completely unidentifiable mess of blood and flesh, hungrily shoving chunks of wet redness into their mouths.

Kendo signaled for them to hide beside an upturned car.

"Okay, we don't fight them," Kendo ordered.

Alex scoffed, "I can barely run on this leg how do you think we're going to get past them?" the boy asked before looking around the side of the car at the feasting dead.

Kendo followed his gaze before looking at him, "Look, from what I've noticed when they feed they won't notice anything else until they're finished,"

Alex gulped but nodded anyway.

"We'll go through that bus and out the back window," Kendo explained before standing.

"Ready?" He asked.

The trio nodded, the idea was crazy but it saved ammo at least.

"Okay…Go!" Kendo barked before they took off.

Claire helped Alex run, it was awkward and painful for the boy but they just about kept up.

They could hear the creatures show sudden interest with a snarl but as soon as they piled into the bus Kendo pulled the sliding door closed.

* * *

"Okay…let's not do that…again." Claire said before she was lost for words.

The seats were full of corpses. They were most definitely dead with some of them mangled beyond recognition. An elderly couple were slumped on each other's arms and there was a young man who was slumped against the seat in front of him, an eyeball hanging limply from the socket. The deaths were probably caused from the crash.

"Oh god…" Alex gasped at the gruesome site. The smell that hung in the air nearly made him vomit.

"Come on…don't let it get to you we have to keep going…we're almost there," Kendo said reassuringly.

They walked down the isle of the bus trying not to disturb the bodies before they reached the other side and Kendo pried the door open.

They were greeted with fresher air, less rancid than inside the bus but still pleasant. They stepped down into the street and were face with one final obstacle.

There was a pile up of cars at the end of the street that were still burning, as well as a fire truck which was sticking outside of what was once a restaurant.

"Hey, look a gate! Leon called pointing towards the far end of the street. Illuminated by the fire was a metal gate. They ran up to it an Kendo began to pull on the handle. It was locked.

"Fuck…Looks like we have to climb over, Kid you go first," He said to Alex who looked at his bloodied leg before limping up to him.

"One, two, free!" Kendo grunted before effortlessly lifting the boy up and over the gate. Alex landed on his feet before crying out and falling forward.

"You okay?" Kendo asked from behind the bars of the gate.

Alex turned nodding before the color drained from his face and pointed behind them.

"THEY'RE COMING!" He screamed.

They turned and saw that more of the dead were indeed coming. Some of them seemed to walk out the fire, flaming and snarling for flesh while the others clumsily shambled out from behind cars.

"Claire go!" Leon yelled as he urged the young woman to climb over the fence and hop down to the other side, and was followed by Leon who threw the weapon bag over first before climbing the gate.

Shots rang out as Kendo fired into the building swarm of ever coming undead.

"Kendo HURRY!" Leon screamed from behind the gate.

Kendo growled as the creatures were almost on him. He turned and began to climb the gate with Leon waiting to grab his hands and pull him over. Kendo suddenly yelled out in shock as one of them grabbed his leg and sunk it's rotted jagged teeth into the fabric of his jeans.

It was only latched on for a second before a gunshot rang out and it's head snapped back before it fell to the ground.

Kendo toppled over the gate with a grunt and landed in a heap in front of Leon.

He looked up to see Alex standing with his pistol in his hands, the barrel still smoking and the boy was breathing heavily.

"Nice shot kid!" Kendo said after he had stood up, he clapped the boy on the shoulder with a large hand before turning to walk down the deserted courtyard. They were safe for now as the gate wasn't weak and seemed to be holding despite the creatures efforts to break through.

"Kendo…are you okay?" Claire asked, noticing the man's limp.

Kendo turned back to them, "Yeah…Hit my leg on the way down, thank fuck the kid's a good shot," He admitted with an embarrassed laugh.

Leon picked up the weapon bag before turning to Claire and Alex, "Come on guys…Let's get inside," he said before following Kendo down the path to the entrance of the station.

Alex and Claire looked at each other for a moment before following them to the front entrance.

* * *

**RPD, Safety, security, life. **

The sign seemed foreboding in the dull lights that shone on it. The cracked paint didn't help either.

Leon turned to the group, "Look, Whoever is inside will probably be on guard so let me do the talking. He slung the bag off his shoulder and handed it to Claire.

He then turned back to the door and pulled the handle before opening it and was promptly greeted with the muzzle of an mp5 submachine gun.

"Who…the fuck, are you,"

The voice was shaky and unsure, Leon managed to keep his composure as the man behind the gun came into focus.

"Marvin…" Leon said. He remembered the young man from his induction into the force, full of energy and a strong sense of justice. They hit it off immediately.

Marvin lowered the weapon and stepped back, "Leon…Jesus," he said with a slight laugh before rushing to shake the man's hand.

"Man…what…" Marvin began before Leon raised a hand to cut him off.

"Look, Marvin, I have three people with me and one's injured, before you ask, car accident," Leon explained.

The younger cop nodded and let Leon stand aside.

"Alright guys come in!" Leon called and held the door open to let them in.

Kendo strode in immediately while Claire helped Alex along.

"Jesus fuck, we just letting anyone in now?" A woman asked.

Leon turned to see four more people standing by the central fountain of the massive main hall. Another cop, brown haired and muscular, a young blonde haired woman who looked like a waitress, another woman in red who looked annoyed and suspicious and finally a terrified looking railway worker, his uniform stained with blood, his nametag read J. Chapman.

"Oh would you shut the fuck up, Alyssa!" The cop snarled.

Alyssa scoffed before storming out of view.

Footsteps suddenly echoed in the hall.

"Marvin is someone…" A brunette woman wearing a blue shirt came into view and stopped when she saw the group that had just arrived; she looked at each of them before she came across Claire.

"Claire…"

Claire's mouth almost dropped open when she saw the woman. She stepped forward slowly.

"Jill…" She breathed, barely above a whisper.

End Of Chapter.

A/n A few notes, Claire and Alex will not be romancing as I hate OC's getting with mains and I thought I would include some of the somewhat left out outbreak bunch. I've already started the next chapter so it should be up soon hope u enjoyed.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: extended and corrected. **

**Chapter Four:**

**Gone. **

Claire could have cried if not for the amount of people watching her. She took one careful step towards Jill. The other woman was frozen in place as Claire slowly approached her, "Jill, oh god…oh," Claire breathed as she picked up pace and wrapped her arms around the other woman. Jill stiffened slightly before pushing Claire back.

"What…the hell were you thinking coming here," Jill hissed as she held Claire at the arms, her grip firm. Claire's happy expression suddenly changed the one of confusion as her mouth tried to find the words.

"I…I just…Chris," Claire mumbled and shuffling her feet uncomfortably. Jill sighed and released the younger woman from her grip.

"Oh Claire…" Jill whispered her tone sympathetic.

"Is he here?" Claire asked, the colour draining from her face. Jill's face changed from angry to upset in an instant and she placed a hand on Claire's arm.

Jill cleared her throat and brushed a bang of hair out of her eyes before looking Claire in the eye, "A few days ago before things really went to hell I went to his apartment to check up on him," Jill explained, watching Claire's reaction for any sign she might break down.

"And…?" Claire whispered her biting her lip.

Jill sighed once more, "He wasn't there…I found his knife and it looked like he had been packing, no note or explanation he was just gone,"

Claire was silent for a long moment before she gasped and put a hand over her mouth and turned away from Jill. "Was…was he okay…before he left?" Claire asked a tear falling down her cheek.

Jill shook her head, "Tired, frustrated…he started drinking when the tabloids hit," Jill said, crossing her arms.

"The Arklay mountains thing?"

Claire and Jill turned, remembering they weren't alone and Claire wiped furiously at her eyes and turned to Leon who had spoken.

"Yeah, If people had listened to what we said about Umbrella then none of that shit outside would have happened," Jill hissed bitterly.

There was a collective sigh from the other survivors apart from Leon, Alex and Claire.

Alyssa who had crept out from behind the lobby desk walked down to the central fountain and scoffed, "I covered that story, Umbrella's a good clean company, _they _sent out their own soldiers to try and deal with this rioting bullshit!"

Jill laughed bitterly, "Yeah, you know nothing goes through the local paper without Umbrella knowing, they can do what they want and if it means covering their own backs at the expense of human life then they do it, The evidence is filed in the S.T.A.R.S office," Jill explained growing more frustrated with every smug pout Alyssa made.

"I don't get it either,"

Jill turned to see Alex limping down the steps, "I've always thought Umbrella has helped people I mean…Raccoon city practically has…had its own economy thanks to them,"

Jill sighed, "I don't think the whole company was involved in this…the civilian branch most likely handled what you see on the T.V but they didn't make their trillions selling Pain killers and nail varnish,"

Alex was thoughtful for a moment before grimacing and his leg buckled causing him to fall to the ground.

"Shit!" Claire hissed before rushing to the boy's side.

The boy gripped his leg and saw that blood was beginning to trickle around the belt.

"Oh shit! He got bit!" The railway worker screamed.

Alex gasped when he saw Jill's hand twitching just above the handgun in the waistband of her jeans.

"It's not a bite!" Leon yelled, rushing forward to kneel by Alex, "We were in an accident on the way into town,"

The blonde waitress who up to this point had been trying to remain inconspicuous walked up to Alex, "How long has his leg been like that?" She asked, looking down at the wound.

"About an hour…It's burning," Alex grunted as his leg throbbed.

The waitresses Lip's spread into a small O before she unfastened the belt and looked at the wound. Through the dried and fresh blood she could see that the skin was red and puffy.

"We might have an infection here sweetie," She said, her eye's narrowing.

Alex tilted his head back against Leon's chest and whimpered softly.

"Hey, Cindy didn't you guy's bring some Medical supplies with you?" Marvin asked before leaning against the wall and Letting the sub machinegun rest against his leg.

Cindy looked over to a door on the right side of the main hall, "Yeah…I think we have some sutures and antibiotics left…"

Alyssa stepped forward, "They were Georges!" She hissed angrily and somewhat defensively.

"Yeah, and he said to help who we could, you could at least try to honour his memory!" The brown haired cop yelled.

"Would you people just stop!" the rail worker cried hysterically.

The group continued to bicker in the background while Cindy continued to look at the wound, "Take him to the waiting room, I'll see what I can do," She said, smiling warmly.

Leon looked down at Alex who was still resting against his chest, "Can you walk?" he asked.

"Hurts…" Alex whispered.

Leon shook his head before gently lifting the boy into his arms with a groan of protest.

"Hey Leon!" Marvin suddenly called causing the other man to turn to him.

"Vending machines still work, get yourself a snack but don't go crazy,"

Leon smirked briefly, "Will do," He said before walking through the door into the waiting room with Cindy.

The main hall was silent.

"So…" Kendo said, breaking the silence, "What's the plan from here,"

Jill's eye's widened when she saw the man approach, "John!" She cried before rushing up to the man and giving him a hug.

"Hey, Valentine," The big man rumbled, returning the hug with a heavy pat on her shoulder.

"Almost didn't see you back there…did you help them?" Jill asked gesturing towards Claire who was standing up and watching the pair.

"Kind of helped each other and I lost my store…" Kendo admitted sadly before lifting up the bag of weapons he had managed to scavenge before the creatures broke the window, "I think we can all still benefit from it though,"

Jill smiled in response and reached for the weapon bag only to be interrupted by a large hand that grabbed the weapon back.

The brown haired cop had grabbed the weapon bag and was peeking inside.

"See anything you like?" Kendo growled in annoyance.

"I see we need to ration out this ammo," cop replied with a sarcastic edge before he walked away with the bag.

Jill sighed, "Don't mind Kevin…He's just trying to make sure we have enough…to last us,"

"Until when? Is this place even safe?" Claire called from the middle of the hall, arms crossed.

Marvin leant away from the wall, "Most of the first floor is secure, we had a break in last night but we managed to barricade the broken windows and lock some of the doors," He explained.

Claire turned to Jill, "Anymore people,"

"You already met Marvin, Alyssa, Kevin and Cindy and the weedy guy cowering by the statue is Jim,"

'Jim' Let out a weak chuckle and waved at Claire before she turned back to Jill

"There's a few more people, The Chief and the mayors daughter, Bev…she isn't doing so well, he's put her up in his office until she calms down, and there's another S.T.A.R's officer, Brad Vickers," Jill explained.

"Chicken Heart Vickers?" Claire asked with a smirk.

Jill laughed once and she heard Marvin and Kendo snicker.

"Yeah, Well not so Chicken at the minute, He's doing a supply run, he insisted," Marvin said.

"Okay…" Claire breathed, "Look…I need to do something if it's okay,"

Jill raised an eyebrow and Claire stepped towards her, "I need to go to the S.T.A.R.S office, maybe pick up some of Chris's stuff…Closure you know," Claire admitted her head dropping.

Jill walked up to her and touched her arm, "Don't say that like he's already dead... you know him… to stubborn to die," Jill said with a confident smile. It did little to cheer Claire up but she felt a swell of relief knowing that he could be safe…or at least out of the city.

"I'm coming with you, we didn't clear out some of the other floors," Jill offered, pulling out her pistol from the holster.

Claire noticed the design of the weapon, a customised Beretta, samurai edge, she could remember an Email sent by Chris the day the S.T.A.R.S members got their own custom handguns, he was so proud of it…she smiled to herself.

"Beauty aint she," Kendo remarked eyeing the weapon, "Made them myself especially for the squad,"

Jill chuckled, "They served us well Ken," She said with a wink.

"Let's get going, you going to be alright here?" Jill asked.

Kendo nodded, "Yeah, I'll make sure Tom Cruise over there doesn't break any of my merchandise,"

Jill gave him one more smile before walking over to the double doors on the left hand side of the main hall.

"The office is this way…so long as we're quick we won't have to waste ammo," Jill explained. Claire nodded before following, weapon in hand.

O

Leon winced as Alex dug his nails into his thigh, the boy lay on the leather sofa , his arms looped under Alex's to stop him from squirming as Cindy stitched his leg. He had to hand it to the kid…Having stitches without anaesthetic and not screaming was a big accomplishment, he did whimper occasionally though.

"Just a few more…" Cindy cooed as she pierced the skin on his leg with the needle and pulled the suture through. She wiped up some blood that spilled from the jagged gash, fortunately it wasn't deep enough to worry her but she could see muscle tissue and it took all her determination not to feel queasy.

"You know…" Leon huffed as Alex grunted and stiffened in his grip, "you're pretty good at this for a…"

"Blonde?" Cindy said with cute smile.

Leon chuckled, "I was gonna say waitress,"

Cindy laughed then her face dropped slightly, "I've always wanted to be a nurse but I couldn't afford the college fees…when all those things started flooding the street I had to help out all I could…George was a doctor…he showed me a few things,"

Leon turned away from her for a second before looking back, "You lost friends?"

Cindy nodded, "We were in a bar downtown when they broke in…David and Yoko went down first buying us time to get to the streets and Mark and George…he got bit…he made It to the station but…he turned and Marvin had to shoot him…I never want to have to see that happen again," She explained before pulling the last stitch.

"You're doing…a good job," Alex whispered as the sharp pain in his shin throbbed when Cindy tied off the stitch.

Cindy smiled and nodded appreciatively, "Thank you, I'll get you those antibiotics," She said before standing up and walking up to the wooden help desk that divided the wall and started rummaging through a brown satchel.

Alex let out a sigh as he leant back onto Leon's chest.

"Feel better?" Leon asked.

Alex's lips quirked into a brief grin, "Sore…but at least I won't die," he admitted.

Leon sighed and looked down at Alex, "I'm sorry you had to come here...we should have turned back...escaped when we could,"

Alex opened his eyes and tilted his head back to look up at Leon with a frown, "I didn't want to go back," He mumbled before getting comfortable once more and closing his arms. Leon narrowed his eyes for a moment, staring ahead.

The sound of the door opening and a following chuckle caused Alex's eye's to open and Leon to turn around.

Claire and Jill were standing by the door watching the couple on the sofa.

"You guys on row-boat…how about a smooch?" Claire said before blowing a kiss.

Leon gasped before shifting his legs off the sofa and sat bolt upright with Alex slowly following.

"Where are you two going?" Alex asked with a quick glance at Leon.

Claire's smile faded, "The S.T.A.R.S office… I just need to pick up some of Chris's stuff," She explained.

Alex and Leon nodded.

"Be careful," Leon said simply.

Claire smiled, "We'll be fine…anyway don't do anything I wouldn't," She said with a wink at Alex who blushed in response earning a laugh from Cindy who was holding a prescription bottle of antibiotics.

"This way," Jill said, walking around the corner of the help desk, followed by Claire.

Leon looked at Alex, "Did she mean what I think she meant?" He asked.

"Don't be a prude, I was comfy" Alex sighed rolling his eyes with a small smile.

Cindy burst out laughing once more, the three of them forgetting their troubles for the moment.

.O.

Jill opened the door and peeked through the gap before turning back to Claire, "I'll take point, you follow behind and stay quiet, those things hear a pin drop and they swarm on it," She explained before opening the door.

She pushed the door open and a foul smell wafted through the opening, thick and metallic. Claire retched before the sight of the hall in front of her hit her. Blood was smeared down the walls and floor in drag marks and puddles. The lights were dim and the reflected dully on the blood.

Jill Stepped forwards first with Claire following, her breathing hissing past her teeth.

"You said you had a break in?" Claire asked, cringing as she stepped in a puddle of blood.

"Yeah…up the next hall, they broke through the windows, and we lost some of the officers…we had to throw the bodies outside…Jesus… Me, Marvin, Kevin, Brad and Chief Irons are the only officers left and pretty much the only people who can use a gun…we managed to board up the broken windows but we could only lock the dead out," She explained, looking around the hall with her weapon readied.

"Maybe we can get some of the stragglers?" Claire offered as she stepped around another puddle of blood.

"Maybe…we should try and save ammo though did your group take any out?" Jill asked over her shoulder.

Claire thought for a moment, "Hit them in the head right, I haven't had to kill one yet but Kendo and Leon took a couple down on the way here…Alex got one too…I know what to do,"

Jill nodded, "Okay but be careful, those things are slow but they can lunge faster than you can react…the fresher they are the faster,"

Claire grimaced at the thought of one of the creatures grabbing her…touching her with that cold clammy skin.

The two women kept walking through the bloodied hall until they came to the door at the far end.

Jill placed her back against the wall and raised her gun, she signalled for Claire to do the same.

She then turned the handle and pulled the door open a crack before something on the other side crashed into the door and sent it slamming against the wall.

One of the creatures, a man, big and muscular dwarfed Jill as it lunged for her.

Claire fired once, the shot going wide and shattering the glass pane on an emergency fire extinguisher.

Jill cried out as the creature grabbed her shirt and pinned her against the wall and began snarling and snapping at her.

Claire fired again the shot managed to hit the dead man in the side of the chest, causing it to lurch sideways and in a flash of blue Jill managed to grab the creatures arm and twist it with a sickening crunch and pin the man against the wall. The creature struggled violently, snapping it's teeth and snarling before Jill lifted her gun to the back of its head and fired. Blood and brain matter splattered the wall and the creature slumped headfirst down the wall.

"Jill! Jill…I'm so sorry I didn't want to hit you," Claire panicked.

Jill walked up to her and put her hands on her shoulders and squeezed, "It's okay…But I'm telling you now…If anyone gets bit you shoot them…no question, understand?" Jill explained her eyes stern yet understanding.

She then let go of her and turned and carried on down the hall and into the next, kicking the downed man on the way.

"Looks Clear…he probably got in through this gap," Jill called, tapping on a makeshift barricade on one of the windows "I'll radio Kevin once we clear the area,"

Claire nodded and looked over Jill's shoulder at the hall. There was blood but much less, and all the windows were barricaded and glass littered the floor.

Jill walked slowly, the glass crunching sharply under her boots, she kept close to the wall and Claire followed, copying her movements. She could hear groans around the corner and Jill Stiffened against the wall.

"What…" Claire began but was silence by Jill, the younger woman flattened herself against the wall before Jill readied her gun and turned the corner, two shots rang out followed by two dull thumps.

Jill turned to Claire and signalled for her to follow. Claire rounded the corner with Jill and she saw two of the creatures on the floor, both their heads were blasted open and dripping dark fluid and brain matter, their mouths hung open vacantly as blood dripped into their eyes. Claire couldn't take it anymore.

Jill shuddered as Claire doubled over and vomited. She sputtered for a moment before straightening, "Sorry…It's hard to forget they aren't people anymore," she admitted, shuddering at the taste in her mouth.

Jill sighed, "Don't worry about it, we'll get you a drink when we get back,"

"Something strong…god," Claire mumbled as they began to move again, edging around the corpses.

They walked past a pair of double doors and Claire took notice, "What's in there?" she asked.

"Meeting room, we don't have time to sightsee Claire," Jill said over her shoulder.

They kept walking and found that there were thankfully no more creatures in the hall.

Jill flattened herself against the wall next to the door at the end of the corridor, "You're turn, open the door and check the front of you behind, don't let them get behind you," Jill explained.

Claire nodded in agreement before opening the door and stepped into the next corridor. She held her weapon out and saw the area in front of her was clear and could make see stairs, the area looked cleaner than the others...as though untouched by the creatures. A noise behind her caught her attention and she span around to see two of the creatures advancing from the far end of the hall, arms outstretched, one of them was a cop, bloodied with chunks of skin ripped from him.

"Jill!" Claire barked before stepping forward and allowing the other woman to step out from behind the door and raise her weapon to the creatures who lumbered towards them, arms outstretched with hungry soulless groans.

Claire fired first, she could have cheered when the shot hit the cop in the eye and it hell back with a loud thump when its head hit the tiled floor. Jill shot the other one with expert marksmanship its head snapping back and then falling to the floor. More shuffling caught their attention and they turned to see three more creatures advancing.

"Shit," Jill Hissed before opening fire along with Claire.

Some shots hit their bodies before Jill managed to take two of them down before Claire took out the third, a woman who sagged to the floor like a puppet with cut strings.

Claire was breathing heavily as she lowered her gun.

Jill turned to her, "Looks like we've got more places to go…for now," Jill said before walking towards the Stairs.

.O.

"Looks Clear," Jill remarked once they reached the top of the stairs.

Claire lowered her weapon and looked down the long hall.

"Looks more like a museum that a police station," Claire noted as the two began to walk slowly down the corridor.

"Yeah, it was remodelled into the station around thirty years ago, all they really added were cells and some of the lesser artefacts are still in storage in the basement…Irons kept a few for himself god forbid anyone touches them," Jill explained with a scoff.

Claire raised an eyebrow, "So the chiefs a hoarder?" Claire asked.

"Among other things,"

Claire clicked her tongue and decided not to press the issue, she didn't want to have to worry about crazy cops aswell as zombies…_zombies, _Claire shuddered. Most people would call her crazy if she ever mentioned that word, but considering that the creatures were obviously dead it seemed somewhat appropriate.

Eventually they came across a statue of what could only be described as a greek Adonis. But what caught Claire's eye was the massive ruby the statue was holding in the skywards pointing arm.

"Is that real?" Claire squeaked as the dim light caused the gem to glint.

Jill sighed and followed her gaze, "No, the real gem and statue were taken when the museum was cleared out, Irons wanted a replica to keep in the station to satisfy his love of shiny things," Jill explained with a roll of the eyes.

Claire's face dropped for a moment, "Shame," She admitted.

Jill turned towards the partially open door next to her, "Come on, no distractions, the office is just through here," She said before pushing the door open and walking into the next corridor.

.O.

Fortunately the corridor leading to the S.T.A.R.S office was clear from the dead. Claire and Jill stood outside the office. Claire let out a deep breath she had been holding in the moment they had arrived.

"You okay?" Jill asked, giving the younger woman's arm a comforting squeeze.

"Yeah, let's just get this done," Claire sighed before pushing the door open.

The office was clear…still tidy aside from a few of the desks which were piled with paperwork and various sentimental objects. Claire spotted Chris's desk immediately and walked up to it, brushing her fingers across the wood before collapsing into the chair in-front of the desk.

Jill watched her for a moment before sitting at her own desk that was parallel from Chris's desk. She hadn't even had time to clear it. She smiled as she brushed her fingers over her old lucky blue beret. Something else caught her eye, a picture taken a few years ago. It was a picture of herself and Sitting on the fountain outside Raccoon City town hall her arm wrapped around his much larger one and her head resting on her shoulder.

She smiled at the memory and the sight of Chris's boyish dimples and messy spiked hair, she remembered their short romance when she first moved to raccoon city, six months of kissing, being inseparable, promises of a life together only to be ended by duty to the squad and worries of one of them being hurt, or killed. She was somewhat glad they weren't together for him to see her trapped in a dead city, pretty much their worst fears after the mansion come to life so to speak.

She sighed before turning the photo frame over and as she did something caught her eye, the panel on the back had been pulled back slightly, she pulled the loose panel and it came free easily.

"Claire…you might want to see this," Jill mumbled when she saw the writing on the back of the photo.

Claire swivelled the chair around and saw the photo in Jill's hand, she handed it to her, "On the back,"

Claire took the photo gingerly before turning it over. It was Chris's unmistakable handwriting, elegant and even, she had always teased him about his girly handwriting as she called it but the sight of it now was heart-breaking, she began to read it out-loud.

_**Jill.**_

_**I could only hope you would find this…I know you have an eye for small details. **_

_**I'm sorry I couldn't just Email but I was tipped off by Rebecca that Umbrella is tracking all remaining S.T.A.R. S members contacts communications and I couldn't Guarantee your safety if I didn't leave something for you and you only to find. **_

_**I'm going to Europe with Barry to investigate Umbrellas Paris facility. If the T-virus was indeed mass produced there then we have to destroy it so that what happened to us at the Arklay lab won't ever happen again at an even larger scale…at Any cost. In case I don't make it back I just want to you to know that you are my best friend and I love you.**_

_**Take this Letter to Claire When you can**_

… _**Sis…I know you're going to be pissed, But I'm doing this for your safety, Jill will take care of you and keep Umbrella from getting to you should the worst happen.. I love you so…so much baby Sister…and I always will.**_

_**Chris. **_

Claire let the photo fall on her lap and couldn't stop the tears from falling, "I love you too, god…I love you too," Claire sobbed.

Jill's heart wrenched at the sight and she leaned forwards and wrapped her arms around the girl, stroking her hair as her own composure started to slip and tears pricked like thorns at her eyes.

Claire pushed Jill back, "I want to know everything…" She said in a low voice.

Jill squeezed her eyes shut and sat back in her chair, "Everything you heard in the papers was true…I mean everything Umbrella didn't cover up…The old spencer estate in the mountains was more than just a relic…it was a hive…an umbrella lab and... The virus Chris talked about was what caused all this, the T-virus," Jill explained, keeping her gaze away from Claire.

"T-virus?" Claire asked, her voice still cracked.

Jill scoffed, "Umbrellas pet project…I don't know much about it other than what Wesker told us…from the files at Arklay I know that it starts out as airborne but transmission changes depending on its environment…right now it's fluid transmission as far as I can tell…It created those things out there, Umbrella used it to create biological weapons for military warfare…creatures like the Tyrant," Jill explained.

Claire's lips parted momentarily, "Tyrant...what?"

Jill shook her head, remembering the pale lipless creature slowly advancing on her with its claws dripping with Wesker's traitor blood.

"It was grown at the lab…using the T-virus on a living person, just another failure and It turned out Wesker was working for umbrella and he released it and ironically it killed him…me and Chris managed to destroy it before the lab blew" Claire gasped and looked away from Jill

"Did…did Chris ever mention Wesker?," Jill asked, now looking Claire back in the face.

Claire only heard about him from Chris and from the sound of him in the background when Chris called her from the office the man had a major stick up his ass, always yelling at people to get to work, but he and Chris had served together for five years on the service and he had looked up to the man as a mentor.

"Because of that man only five S.T.A.R.S members got out alive…the bastard knew what we would find…for the sake of us being cannon fodder for Umbrellas pet's ironically he was killed by the Tyrant…his own little pet," Jill explained with venom.

Claire shook her head in disbelief…but the proof was out there…those infected creatures, and Jill wouldn't lie to her, she wouldn't.

"Why didn't you say all this downstairs?" Claire asked tonelessly, her head drooping.

"I didn't want to cause a panic…if the people downstairs thought for one second that the virus was airborne they would fall apart, Look at Jim and Alyssa they're cracking and I'm not cruel enough to add to their pain," Jill Explained taking her hand.

Claire pulled her hand away, not in anger but to hold the picture of Chris and Jill, "I won't tell anyone…yet, but if we get out of this in one piece we need to spread the word, find evidence somehow…for Chris," Claire said, conviction strong in her voice.

"For Chris," Jill replied softly.

They were silent for a moment before a distorted voice crackled out of nowhere.

"Jill...JILL come in!" The panicked voice said again.

Jill's eye's widened as she reached down and pulled a small two way radio out by thr antennae from her jeans pocket.

"Brad?" She replied, "Brad are you okay,"

There was a crackle of static before Brad responded, "No! I'm not fucking okay, There's something…" The voice was cut off by gunfire, automatic weapons by the sound of it before another voice was heard, a thick Russian accent.

"Move idiot its right on top of us, Carlos!"

There was another silence followed by gunfire before brad spoke again, "I found two guys, UBCS but you need to get the gate open, please for the love of god hurry!" Brad screamed before the radio went silent again.

"Brad?" Jill whispered quietly, unnerved by nothing but the sound of running footsteps which were followed by a sound that nearly jolted Jill into dropping the walkie talkie.

It was another voice…more of a growling hiss, "Stars…"

Then there was no sound…crackling died away.

"Jesus…" Claire gasped, now standing by Jill. She simply stood there frozen in place.

Jill suddenly animated and turned to Claire, "We have to go, get the gate open" Jill stated before going to walk through the open office door but was stopped by Claire's hand on her shoulder.

She turned to Claire, "I'm staying here for a bit, I'll be fine," Claire said before letting go of her.

Jill nodded and smiled before backing out of the door and closing it behind her.

.O.

Leon gulped down the last of his lukewarm coffee and shuddered before throwing the polystyrene cup in the trash can. He then turned to Alex who was sipping at a soda and grinned.

"So I'm comfy huh?" Leon teased, ribbing the boy.

Alex turned to him with narrowed eyes and a slight pout, "I was delirious and hurting and we are not talking about this," he said simply before placing his can of soda on the table by the side of the sofa.

Cindy chuckled, "It's good to feel so calm again, I haven't laughed in days," she remarked before sliding into an arm chair across from the two men.

Alex smiled, a proper honest to god smile, "It might be the antibiotics talking but I'm actually feeling pretty calm right now," he said pulling his legs onto the sofa and leaning against the arm.

"Yeah, that's the ecstasy I mixed with the meds," Cindy said with a wink.

The colour drained from Alex's face as he reached for his soda can and took a long swig.

Cindy laughed out loud again, "I'm kidding honey," she said between laughs.

Even Leon started to chuckle, earning a slap on the arm from Alex.

"Mean," The boy hissed.

Leon calmed himself before looking at Alex, "You know, I've been meaning to ask, you said you didn't want to go home…why?" Leon asked a brow rising in interest.

"Oh…no reason," Alex said simply and taking another sip of his drink.

"Come on, we're all friends here," Leon pushed with a reassuring smile.

Alex sighed, defeated, "I wanted to get away, I don't get along with my older brother and sister,"

Leon swallowed nervously, he regretted asking now.

"What about your parents?" Cindy asked softly.

Alex looked up at her and propped his head on one hand, "They died when I was three…I remember my mum very vaguely but not dad…I don't even have a picture of them," He explained as he tapped his foot on the floor absently.

Alex looked contemplative for a moment before shaking his head, "Anyway, that's about it for me what about your life Leon?" Alex asked his lips pursed together.

Before Leon could speak the door Jill and Claire had previously gone through was opened and a lone Jill jogged around the corner, Gun in hand and breathing heavily.

Leon stood up in an instant, "Claire," He breathed.

Jill raised a hand to silence him, "Safe, she wanted to stay in the office but I need you to follow me to the main gate now," She ordered.

"What's going on?" Leon asked, his hand hovering above his weapon holster.

"I'll explain in a minute but you need to come with me," Jill ordered once again before quickly walking past him and through the door to the main hall.

Leon began to follow but a small hand gripped his momentarily causing him to turn and see Alex looking up at him with concern, "Be careful," He pleaded softly, his eyes wide.

Leon nodded at him with a lopsided grin before following Jill through the door.

O

Jill was already at the top of the steps leading to the main doors to the station and was holding a set of keys while talking to Kendo.

"Ken, I need you, Kevin and Marvin know the others better than you or me we need them to stay calm," Jill pleaded.

Kendo was conflicted but in the end nodded, "I'll cover you Jill," he said before cocking his shotgun.

"Excuse me but just what the hell is going on," Alyssa suddenly barked.

Jill turned on her, "Just stay here, we're taking care of it," She hissed.

"Kendo open the door," Jill asked. The big man turned to the door and opened it, letting in a cold gust of air before Jill ran through.

Up ahead Jill could see Brad and the two UBCS officers he mentioned behind the main gate, one was a silver haired man with icy blue eyes, he held a pistol in one hand and was supporting a bloodied Brad with the other arm. Another man was behind them, she could only make out the back of him but he was younger, muscular and tanned with short black hair. He was pointing an m4 assault rifle ahead of him, covering the other men.

"Jill…please," Brad begged, blood spilling from his lips.

"Jesus," Jill breathed, running up to the gate and fumbling the keys.

"Hurry, its right behind us," the silver haired man snapped in a thick Russian accent.

Jill ignored him as the padlock finally opened and she slid the gate bolt open.

Leon and Kendo ran to join her by the gate and pull the heavy door open just wide enough for Brad and the soldiers to pass through. The Russian man pushed Brad through the gap who cried out in pain before Jill caught him in her arms and began to walk him towards the station. He was followed by the two soldiers who helped Leon and Kendo shut the gate and slide the bolt, locking it once more.

Brad gave a cry and nearly collapsed as Jill struggled to pull him upright. The man continued to whimper as Jill looked him up and down and saw a large gash across his chest was breathing profusely.

"It…It's after us, It spoke it knows us it's death!" Brad screamed incoherently, at the point adrenaline was the only thing keeping the man standing.

Jill gripped his shoulders to silence him then looked at the men who were with him over his shoulder. She could now see the younger man was in fact very young, barely twenty by the looks of it but she would deal with them later.

She looked back at Brad and held his face in her hands trying to soothe him, "What, is coming?" She asked softly staring into his fear crazed eyes.

Brad panted before speaking only one simple word, "Death,"

Something slammed into the ground behind Brad with enough force to shake the ground they were standing on. Jill let go of Brad with a cross between a gasp and a scream as what hit the ground behind him began rise, a shapeless mass, a man…a monster.

Brad turned slowly to see the dark figure behind him raise a massive arm and let out a roar that shook the very foundation of the earth.

Jill was frozen in place as she got a good long look at the monster before her. Standing at nine foot it dwarfed her; it was impossibly thick with muscle and seemed to be dressed in a thick leather trench coat and boots. It's skin looked burnt and flaky and she could make out what looked like thick red worms erupting from its skin around the shoulders and burrowing under its flesh but it's face was what hit her the hardest. It only had one milky eye, the other either removed or sown shut, it was nose-less and lipless, bringing back memories of the tyrant's lipless grin…but this creature wasn't grinning it was snarling…a pure evil, bloodthirsty snarl.

Time resumed its normal pace for Jill as Brad ran to the left screaming wildly and sobbing, begging for mercy. The creature's one good eye followed him with a sickening sticky wet sound as it turned and began walking to him with loud heavy footsteps.

It had only just occurred to Jill that the others had begun to fire at the creature. It hit the young soldier first with a nonchalant flick of the wrist sending him crashing into the Russian man and they both slammed into the front gate hard enough for Jill to hear a break, probably a rib. Leon was next to be brushed aside and slid across the ground sliding to a halt at the front door of the station.

Brad was cowering in the corner of the courtyard with nowhere to run.

He fell to his knees before the creature begging as its heavy footsteps, growls and fixed stare caused him to grow hysterical.

"Brad!" Jill screamed and went to run to him but a strong arm gripped her around the stomach and she was pulled into a much larger form.

"There's nothing you can do!" Kendo growled in her ear.

Jill continued to scream and struggle until the creature finally reached Brad and with a sweeping motion grabbed the man by the hair and lifted him three foot off the ground.

Brad's shrill shrieking stabbed at Jill like a thousand knives as she watched the creature cock its head and let out a soft growl before turning so all could see what was coming.

It raised its free arm which began to shudder and Jill could see something writing under the thick leather coat the creature was wearing.

"BRAD!" Jill screamed desperately, "KEN LET ME GO!"

Brad's eyes began to roll back in his head as blood trickled down his forehead as the skin began to tear. The creatures arm stopped shuddering and whatever was squirming under its coat exploded through the leather coat at the arm. Three tentacles, each one a dark red and violently whipping around began to snake towards Brad.

"NO!" Jill screamed once more before the tentacles shot forward and impaled Brad through the eyes and mouth and silencing his screams to wet bloody gagging.

Jill's screams from that moment chilled Kendo to the core, Leon looked close to vomiting and the two soldiers could only watch in horror as the creature let out one more almighty roar before tearing Brad's off in a messy upwards pull of the arm. Most of the spine came free and his still twitching body fell to the ground

The creature eyed the severed head before gripping the spinal column and pulling the tentacles free and letting the head hang in its hand by the partial spine before raising it out in front of itself.

Kendo let Jill go and she stood slowly, backing away with tears in her eyes.

The creature then looked at her before tossing the severed head at her feet. What was left of Brads face rolled towards her, his face frozen in an expression of agony even without eyes she could see his pain.

She looked back at the creature whose gaze was now fixed on her as it had once been on Brad. It opened its mouth and one word came out that would be forever burned into her memory.

"Stars," It growled in a deep rumbling voice that shook them all to the core as it began to advance once more.

End of chapter.

A/N Ok hope you all enjoyed…whoever may be reading. I just thought I would explain the story a bit. It is a combination of Resident Evil 2 and 3 set in the same time frame with added extras which I won't spoil. I was hoping to add the Licker in this chapter but I decided to save it for "Chapter Five: The Hunter and the Hunted" aswell as introducing another character and fleshing out Nicolai and Carlos, and the outbreak survivors. Btw Leon and Alex were tooootally necking while Cindy filmed it while Claire and Jill were the focus…only joking lol, see you all next time.

18


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**The Hunter and The Hunted.**

Time seemed to slow to a crawl for Jill as she stopped struggling against Kendo and froze up as the monster that killed Brad continued to advance. Its snarling lipless mouth parted as it let out a low growl and fluids dripped from its teeth and exposed gums.

It was picking up speed, walking faster, faster, Running.

"Jill move!" Kendo suddenly yelled snapping her back to reality as she was pulled to the side With Kendo's bulk shielding her as the creature went to stomp on them. Its foot hit the ground with enough impact to crack the concrete.

"Open fire!" the Russian man roared from by the gate and began to fire at the creature along with the younger soldier. The bullets hit the creatures back but did little but penetrate the thick leather the creature was clothed in.

The creature grunted at the lead peppering its back and turned from Jill and Kendo with a snarl and dashed towards the soldiers with surprising speed considering its size.

The two soldiers dived to the side as the creature swung for them and missed, instead hitting the gate and bending one of the metal bars inwards.

"Shit!" The younger soldier hissed before opening fire at a safer distance.

Kendo pulled Jill to her feet before dragging her to the door without a word.

"Ken let go!" Jill growled pulling her wrist free, "It's going to follow us in!"

Jill pulled her own weapon from her belt and began to fire at the creatures head. The bullets penetrated the creature's lumpy brownish flesh from behind and she could make out dark almost purple blood spraying from the tiny holes the bullets made in its thick hide.

"Stars!" The creature snarled once more causing Jill to freeze for a moment before regaining her composure and began to fire again.

It turned to her and began to dash, shrugging off the combined fire from the soldiers as well as Leon.

"It's not dying!" Leon yelled as he unloaded the last bullet he had into the back of the creatures back.

Jill managed to dive to the side as the creature reached her, rolling and standing in an instant before firing three times into the creatures head.

She wasn't sure if the bullets were even doing anything as the skin seemed to close over the bullet holes almost immediately.

A louder shot rang out as the creature began to walk up to Jill once more.

Kendo fired at the creature from in front of the stations front door. The widespread pellets caused the creature to stumble and cover its face with a low hiss.

"Come on motherfucker!" Kendo spat before firing again and again.

The creature roared before sprinting up to him. He only had enough time to brace himself before he was hit with the creature's palm, sending him slamming into the metal door of the station with a grunt of pain.

"Kendo!" Leon growled still holding out his empty pistol.

The creature began to stomp towards him, raising its arm like it did before it murdered Brad which began to vibrate. He could see the snake like tentacles moving under the thick leather and he could only brace himself for the death that was soon to come.

"HEY!" A voice suddenly called causing the creature to turn away from him, lowering its arm.

Jill was standing in front of the main gate with her arms by her sides.

"You want me!?" She yelled before holding her arms out like a cross, "Come and get me!"

The creature snarled and turned towards her, "Stars!" it snapped with surprising venom before it began to walk towards her.

Kendo grunted as his chest throbbed and tried to stand, "Jill run!" He cried desperately.

Jill held her ground despite her heart hammering in her chest, she had a plan and she hoped to god it would work, for her friends sake.

The soldiers continued to fire on the creature to distract it with no success, while Leon could only stand by them unable to do anything to stop it or help.

Once the creature reached Jill it swept its arm down and grabbed the front of her shirt before lifting her from the ground and holding her there while growling.

Jill grimaced at the feeling of the creatures skin it was cold and clammy as its fingers brushed against her skin.

Leon turned to the younger soldier and saw a pistol in a holster on his hip. He grabbed at the weapon and pulled it free with a protest from the younger man, before firing at the creatures head and spraying Jill with thick dark blood.

The creature didn't even flinch while Jill wanted to gag as the blood stained her clothes and hit her face.

It tilted its head to look at her with its one milky eye and in the process exposed her target.

"Go to hell…" Jill choked out before lifting her gun to the creature's eye and firing.

The creature roared in apparent pain as blood sprayed from its now empty eye socket and it threw Jill to the side sending her crashing into the younger soldier who caught her in his arms before they both fell back with a yell.

The creature fell to its knees holding a hand over its bleeding eye socket before turning its head and seemingly looking at the people watching it.

"Stars…" it growled once more before standing and moving its hand away from its eye and let the blood flow free and disgustingly thick.

It was deathly silent other than the creature's heavy breathing before it snarled and turned and leapt with enough strength to clear the front gate before taking off running into the dark.

Jill let out a massive sigh before opening her eyes to look down into the wide staring eyes of the younger shoulder under her.

"Wow…" He breathed, earning a scoff from Jill who promptly stood up and dusted herself off. A sharp pain shot through her shoulder but it wasn't much more than a bruise from the impact.

"Jill!" Kendo suddenly called as he limped towards Jill, clutching his side with a grimace.

When he reached her he pulled her into a massive bear hug, disregarding his pain.

"Don't you ever do something like that again," He growled into her shoulder before pulling away and placing a large hand on her face.

A cough caught their attention and they turned to see, Leon and the two shoulders watching them.

"We should get back inside," Leon said, jerking his thumb at the station.

Jill nodded before narrowing her eyes at the soldiers, "You're UBCS, right, Umbrellas army?" Jill asked, suspicious.

The Russian soldier exhaled sharply through his nose before stepping forward with his arm stretched out to shake Jill's hand, "Nicolai Zinoviev," Jill took his hand and gave it a sharp shake before stepping back.

The younger soldier stepped forward enthusiastically, "And I'm Carlos, you're S.T.A.R.S right? Jill Valentine? god, you guys are awesome, I mean…"

"Corporal!" Nicolai snapped, causing the boy to back off from Jill.

Jill bit the inside of her cheek in annoyance as the Carlos grinned at her from behind his superior.

Jill looked back at Nicolai, "Okay…We'll continue this conversation inside, but you two need to hand over your weapons,"

"What!?" Carlos exclaimed before looking at Nicolai. The older man calmed him with a gesture of the hand.

"We follow their rules now, very well, lead the way Jill," Nicolai said, voice smooth and calm.

"Jill Nodded before gesturing at them to walk inside the building.

The two soldiers nodded at Jill once more before walking towards the building.

Jill let out a sigh before Kendo placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What about Brad…" kendo asked.

Jill turned to look at Brad's mutilated corpse and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.

"He won't be coming back," Jill admitted before following the soldier inside the station without another word.

Kendo sighed before looking over at Leon who seemed pretty shaken.

"Come on then, we better get back inside, Kid's probably missing you," Kendo teased with a chuckle.

"Shut up," Leon groaned, "Let's get back inside before that thing comes back,"

The two of them then proceeded to follow Jill and the others inside the station.

* * *

Claire continued to hold the picture of Chris in her hands, stroking her thumb across the glossy surface of Chris's face. She had no Idea how to feel about him up and leaving even though she knew deep down it was for a good reason.

A sudden knocking caught her attention and she looked to the door of the office, and drew her gun on instinct.

The door handle twisted just as Claire began to tighten her grip on the trigger.

"Uh…hey, anyone home?" A woman's voice said from behind the door.

Claire lowered the weapon with a sigh just as Alyssa's face peered around a small crack in the door.

"Come in…" Claire mumbled with a sigh and set the picture down on the desk.

The door opened fully and Alyssa stepped into the room, wringing her hands.

"I…uh, just wanted to say sorry about before," Alyssa admitted, she looked at her feet.

Claire sighed before standing, "it's okay, we're all in the same boat here, I can understand you being…upset,"

Alyssa snorted and looked Claire in the eye before leaning up against a storage locker by the door and reaching into her pocket and taking out a packet of cigarettes.

"Three months cold turkey…and here I am," Alyssa said to herself before lighting up and taking a long drag, "Want one?" Alyssa offered.

Claire grimaced causing Alyssa to shrug.

"Fair enough" Alyssa said before putting the cigarettes back in her pocket.

"Why are you here really Alyssa?" Claire asked as she sat on Chris's desk.

Alyssa chuckled softly, "Well…to say sorry but a little snooping can't hurt right, you and super-bitch cleared out the crazies so I'm thinking…dig up what I can,"

Claire narrowed her eyes, "Dig what up?" She asked.

Alyssa shrugged once more, "Anything I can really, seeing as I'm out of a job… Pretty sure Irons has some skeletons in his closet,"

"The chief…what about him?" Claire asked.

Alyssa let out a puff of smoke and twirled the cigarette in her fingers, "historic assault charges, corruption, word is someone bailed him out and covered it up, providing we all make it out alive I want to have enough to nail the pig," Alyssa explained.

Claire exhaled, "Jesus…sounds personal, wait didn't they say the mayors daughter was with him?" Claire asked, her skin suddenly crawling.

"If she knows better she'll probably have run, we haven't seen her in hours though,"

"You don't sound too concerned…" Claire muttered.

Alyssa didn't answer, but her eyes suddenly widened and she put the cigarette out on the locker and ran over to a desk on the far side of the office.

"Alyssa?" Claire asked as she followed Alyssa to the desk. The woman was on her bracing her hands on the desk and looking it over intently.

Papers were strewn all over the surface and the drawers were pulled out, the contents strewn all over the floor.

"Well…someone was looking for something for sure," Alyssa remarked as she got on her hands and knees behind the desk.

Claire looked over the desk until she noticed the name plate in the centre of the desk.

**A. Wesker S.T.A.R.S captain.**

Claire said nothing, but grit her teeth, Jill had mentioned him before.

Alyssa stood slowly, holding a round bronze disk.

"Questionable taste, looks like anything else of interest has been taken…if anything, but this looks familiar," Alyssa noted as she bounced the disk in her hands before sliding it into her pocket.

"Familiar?" Claire quizzed, folding her arms.

"Yeah, Pretty sure this was part of the old fountain in the main hall…speaking of which I heard gunfire outside," Alyssa explained before resuming her search of the desk.

"What!" Claire exclaimed, unfolding her arms.

Alyssa nodded, "Yeah, probably some of those things at the main gate,"

Claire exhaled sharply, "Why didn't you tell me!" She growled.

Alyssa looked back up at her, "You seemed a little preoccupied, okay, Didn't think you wanted to be disturbed,"

Claire pinched the bridge of her nose briefly, "Okay, I'm going back to the hall, just give me a few minutes to grab some things, and we'll go back,"

Alyssa shook her head, "You go, I'll be fine,"

Claire walked quickly back to Chris's desk and pocketed the photograph, but not before looking at it one last time.

* * *

"Okay…now you guys better start explaining," Jill commanded as she leant against the fountain.

"Explain what? Your dead friend out there found us and decided to bring us here," Nicolai explained, his voice still silky smooth.

There was a metallic _clink _as Marvin gasped and dropped his gun in shock, "Brad…Brad's dead?" he said in disbelief.

Jill looked over Marvin, "That…thing got him," She said quietly.

"Thing, I…we heard something out there, and gunfire," Kevin said as he walked down the ramp to join Jill next to the fountain.

"Thanks for the backup by the way!" Kendo called from his spot by the main door.

Jill sighed, "not now Ken…"

Kendo grumbled to himself and slumped down against the wall holding his side as his ribs throbbed.

Jill looked over at him for a moment before looking back at Nicolai and Carlos, "We should be ready in case it comes back,"

The door leading to the waiting room opened and Alex and Cindy s stepped through looking concerned.

"What _thing?" _Alex asked, as he braced himself against the door frame for support.

"Nothing we have to worry about for now," Jill replied.

Carlos chuckled, "Yeah, Jill took that things eye out, it was awesome," he said enthusiastically.

Leon growled, "Is it all sunshine and rainbows in your mind kid?" Leon asked, Carlos turned on him with a sneer, "If it wasn't for you and your friend Brad probably would have made it back in one piece,"

Carlos strode up to Leon, and despite being younger he was much bigger, Leon faced him down.

"Say that again," Carlos warned.

Leon didn't even reply before Carlos was pulled away by the scruff of the neck by Jill and thrown to the floor.

"Don't you guys even think about fighting now, and Leon…you didn't even know Brad so don't think to blame anyone for what happened," Jill said before turning to Carlos who was looking up at her bewildered, "And you, cause any trouble and I won't hesitate in throwing you and your friend back out there,"

"Understood, I'll make sure he doesn't cause any trouble," Nicolai said almost robotically before hauling Carlos to his feet. The younger soldier looked away from Jill, and she almost smirked at the embarrassment in his brown eyes.

Jim cleared his throat and stepped forward, "Listen…if there's something out there then we can't stay here,"

"We won't be going anywhere until the situation is contained and the government makes a decision on how to handle what is happening," Nicolai explained.

A low bitter laugh sounded behind the receptionist desk from Kevin who tapped his hands on the wooden surface, "You're telling me we have to wait until the government decides to pull their fingers out their asses before they help us out?" he asked.

Nicolai raised an eyebrow at Kevin before sighing, "If, they decide to help us, communications and internet connection has been entirely disabled throughout the city, most likely to prevent anyone breaching the quarantine," he explained.

Jill scoffed, "Umbrella covering its tracks,"

Leon put his head in his hands, "Jill please don't,"

"No, go on," Nicolai quizzed calmly.

Jill scowled and walked up to Nicolai, "You're part of umbrellas army, this _plague _was caused by their fucking around with nature, their virus,"

Nicolai's composure seemed to slip for a moment and a tense moment of silenced followed before Carlos broke it.

"Hey, we were sent in to evacuate the civilians, me and Nicolai were hired three days before the shit hit the fan," he explained, seemingly confused.

Nicolai silenced him once more not taking his eyes off Jill, "The only intel we were given was concerning mass rioting, rabies, they offered a substantial amount of money…what we should be discussing is an escape plan,"

Jill scoffed, "You don't fucking fool me," she snarled before walking briskly away from him, past Alex and Cindy and through to the waiting room, slamming the door behind her.

Alex cringed as the door slammed behind him before looking around at everyone in the hall.

"He's right," Alex admitted, looking over at Nicolai, "We need to get out of the city as soon as we can,"

Nobody answered, but they all looked at one another, the realization that something needed to be done, and soon.

* * *

Claire groaned in frustration as she searched Chris's desk. She couldn't find a memento of any sort, just old paperwork and staples.

She pocketed the letter before turning to Alyssa who was still fingering through the drawers in Wesker's desk, "Alyssa, last chance, are you coming or not?" Claire asked.

Alyssa looked up at her from behind the desk, "Just go dammit, I'm busy," the reporter hissed.

Claire sighed and rolled her eyes before walking to the door and opening it. She stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind her.

The hall was deathly quiet and through the windows that lined the opposite wall she had a decent view of downtown raccoon city, she could almost make out the inferno from the crash only a couple of hours before.

The memory made her feel sick to her stomach and the bruising on her chest she had sustained began to throb.

Bracing herself on the wall she began to walk towards the door on the other end of the hall until a slight click stopped her in her tracks. The door handle was turning.

Claire held her breath and raised her gun to the door as it began to open. Claire gripped the handle of her weapon tighter as she began to breathe deeply.

The door opened all the way and a small figure stepped into the hall and looked around cautiously.

It took Claire a moment to register what she was seeing and lowered her weapon as soon as she realized…. a little girl.

She couldn't have been more than ten or eleven, her hair was greasy and framed her face in blonde curtains, she was wearing a school uniform, which was speckled with dirt and grime, her knees black with dust.

Claire and the girls eye's met momentarily, the girls innocent blue eyes widening when she saw the armed woman.

"Wait…" Claire whispered softly raising her arm in a non-threatening manner.

The girl choked out a squeak of fear before bolting through the open door.

"WAIT!" Claire cried as she gave chase.

"Claire!" Someone called from behind her, Alyssa probably, but she didn't care, she only cared about catching up to the little girl who was in serious danger on her own.

Her surroundings were a blur as she sprinted after the girl who was currently hammering down the stairs to the ground floor her breath coming out in ragged huffs.

"I'm not going to hurt you!" Claire cried after her as she Jumped both sets of stairs and nearly lost her balance.

"Leave me alone!" Came the muffled scream of the girl who was now running through the corridor herself and Jill had come through previously.

Claire rounded into the corridor and continued her chase. She turned the corner and could make out the girl as she ran down the corridor and into the next that led to the waiting room.

"Please!" Claire yelled once more.

Claire suddenly felt herself falling as she tripped over one of the dead that had been dispatched on her first run through. Bracing herself she landed on her hands and knees.

As quickly as she landed she pushed herself up and sprinted into the next hall and around the corner in time to see the girl clambering on top of a vending machine at the end of the corridor and reaching towards a vent cover on the wall.

"Wait, don't go!" Claire called after her to no avail as the girl didn't even look back before hauling herself inside the vent and letting the cover slam behind her.

Claire came to a stop when she realised the girl was gone, "Shit…" She hissed before slumping to the floor and letting out a frustrated sigh, the girl was alone…scared, and in danger, and she couldn't even help her.

Claire listened as the light thumping of the girl crawling through the vent before It faded completely.

All was silent; Claire hugged her legs to her chest in the dark corridor and watched as the shadows from the trees outside stretched across the tiled floor as though they were going to drag her away.

She shuddered before taking a moment to compose herself and slowly stood, she had to tell the others about the girl and she hoped that one of them would help her.

She began to walk towards the door until a shadow skittered passed the window which nearly made her heart jump into her throat.

On instinct she raised her weapon and walked towards the window and looked outside, she could see the empty courtyard and nothing else.

"Get a grip girl…" Claire whispered to herself and braced her hands on the window.

* * *

Jill couldn't help the tears of frustration as she threw herself down on the leather sofa in the waiting room.

She drew her legs up to her chest and wiped away the bitter tears with the back of her hand.

Nobody believed her…or they were in denial, she didn't care, all she knew was that Nicolai knew more than he was letting on, while Carlos seemed too naive and green for his own good.

The door opened behind her and she turned her head in time to see Kendo appear and close the door behind him.

"Are you okay Jill?" Kendo asked softly as he sat next to her and stretched his arms across the back of the sofa, his bruised chest throbbing in protest.

Jill shook her head, "This is all so fucked up Ken, Brads dead…Umbrella's going to get away with mass fucking murder…so yeah…I'm o-fuckin-kay" she admitted, her voice half muffled by her folded arms.

Kendo sighed and scooted over to her, "You know…I've known you since you were five Jill Valentine, foul mouthed, street smart punk you were at times…. But you were never a liar," Kendo said softly placing a large hand on hers and pulling it away.

Jill looked up at him, her eyes glassy, she went to speak but was silenced by kendo.

"You're daddy, called you little Lincoln remember?" he said with a smirk.

Jill lowered her head, "I miss him…god," She raised her head and wiped her eyes again, "I miss him so much Ken… I just want these people to be safe,"

Kendo gave her hand a squeeze, "Don't put yourself under this kind of stress…look, we're going to work on a plan to get out of the city, forget umbrella… it'll come out eventually, but you need to work on staying alive," Kendo said softly.

Jill shook her head and looked Kendo in the eye, "You're always right aren't you," She admitted with a grin.

"Damn straight," Kendo replied, "I don't think you would lie but they don't matter right now, what matters is getting out of here,"

Jill nodded in agreement before shifting her legs off the sofa.

"Then let's…"

A loud shatter from the connecting corridor behind the room's partition jolted her into standing, alarm bells shrieked inside her head as she rounded the partition and wrenched the door open.

She looked down the corridor and could see Claire huddled in the corner, breathing heavily with a large bleeding scratch on her leg.

"Claire!" Jill called as she ran up to the dazed girl and helped her up.

Claire was pale and didn't respond to her until Jill gave her a large shake.

"Claire, what happened?" Jill asked slowly and firmly.

Kendo jogged up behind her clutching his shotgun and let out a sharp breath when he saw Claire.

"Jesus…what happened girl?" Kendo remarked when he saw her leg.

Claire turned to him and clutched Jill's arm, "I…I don't know….something…it came through the window," Claire droned monotonously.

Jill looked up from Claire and down the hall to see one of the windows was indeed shattered, the light from the open door at the far end of the hall illuminating the shards of glass aswell as specks of blood, most likely Claire's.

A light breeze hit Jill from above, followed by a strange damp smell. The breeze grew more regular…like breathing until a low gasping sound reached her ears.

Swallowing she looked up slowly and the colour drained from her face instantly.

She thought it was a dog at first, but skinned completely, it clung to the ceiling with short muscular limbs and deadly looking talons which gripped the ceiling, scarring the plaster. She got a glimpse of its head as it reared back slowly, skinless like the rest of it, and eyeless. It's completely exposed brain throbbed regularly and Jill could make out thick fluid pumping through the enlarged arteries.

"Jesus…H…" Kendo breathed barely above a whisper.

The creature hissed and snapped it's head to one side as if recognizing the sound. They could see its mouth now, which parted revealing serrated and bloody teeth. It opened its mouth wider than any _person _could and something began to snake out from between its teeth. It seemed to be blood at first but…attached. It was a tongue, a long blood red tongue extending three feet, five feet, six feet.

"Move!" Jill barked before shoving Claire away from the creatures tongue and to the floor before raising her gun and firing. The shot grazed the creature's skinless shoulder causing it to screech shrilly and fall to the floor.

Claire crawled backwards as it rounded on her and growled before opening its mouth once more, and the tongue shot out, only just missing Claire who let herself drop back and hit her head on the tiled floor hard enough to make her dizzy.

"Get it!" Claire yelled as the creature reared up and raised its claw, ignoring the shots it was taking to the back.

It pounced and Claire screamed until a much louder shot rang out and her clothes were splattered with blood as kendo's shotgun blast all but severed the creatures arm and it landed on Claire, writhing and snapping it's jaws.

"GET IT OFF!" Claire screamed desperately, barely holding the creature back by the neck, it's slippery skin making it hard to get a grip. She could barely make out Kendo and Jill's yelling, something about not hitting Claire and getting a better shot. Claire squeezed her eyes shut as her grip began to loosen.

"GET THE FUCK OFF HER!" A woman's voice suddenly screamed and stream of white freezing gas hit the creature, Claire opened her eyes and saw Alyssa armed with a fire extinguisher.

The creature wailed and hissed as the freezing fire retardant hit it and it backed off Claire and up against the wall as if cowering from the stream.

Alyssa gritted her teeth as she kept the stream on the creature, before the extinguisher began to splutter and fail.

"Shit!" Alyssa hissed before throwing the extinguisher to the floor with a loud metallic crash.

The creature stopped struggling and Alyssa could make out through the fog that the creature, now blistered was crawling slowly towards her.

It was almost on her before another thundering shot rang out and its head exploded into jelly, some of it landing on her foot.

Kendo appeared through the fog and helped a whimpering Claire to her feet before the four of them rounded the corner and back into the waiting room coughing before Jill slammed the door behind them.

Kendo helped Claire over to the sofa before sitting her down, with Jill joining her.

"God…are you okay?" Jill asked, brushing a strand of hair out of Claire's face.

Claire nodded slowly, some colour having returned to her.

Jill sighed and turned to Alyssa, "Thanks…good timing,"

Alyssa smiled and nodded, "happy to help…still shitting my pants a little," the reporter admitted before sitting the other side of Claire and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"What the hell was that thing," Kendo growled, looking behind the partition.

"That doesn't matter," Claire said, somewhat breathless.

Jill raised a brow and leaned closer to Claire who slumped back into the sofa.

"There's a little girl…she got away though, a vent back there," Claire explained gesturing towards the door they had just come through, "I have to find her,"

Claire went to stand but Jill pushed her back, "No you're still in shock, give yourself a moment while I explain the noise to the others…I'll be right back,"

The older woman stood and gave her one last look before walking through the double doors leading to the main hall.

Claire made out a muffled "what now…" From Leon before her eye's fluttered shut, the stinging scratch on her leg stopped her from falling asleep but all she could think about was the look in the little girl's eyes when she saw her.

The look of the hunted, absolute fear.

.O. End Of Chapter .O.

A/N: hope you enjoyed, I'll post this now but I'll upload little fixes when I have time.

Right, the next chapter will Introduce Sherry Properly in a flashback, aswell as another Leon interview, entitled "Alone" might have more nemesis…I want to make him less of a direct threat for the most part and more a pshychological one…as in, jill looks out a window and he's watching her…comepletely still.

On the subjects of Leolex (leon x Alex) It is NOT happening, I toned it down in the last chapter and I have yet to introduce Ada. Leon aint gay guys as much as I want to slash him with someone…but alas… I want to keep his Maria Susan rating down.

Also Alex isn't Alex wesker, I think you all know who he is but I'm working on fitting him in just right… I shall use the phrase "Love is cruel," for Alex

And jill and kendo... he's kind of her adoptive uncle, more of this in later chapters, very personal...very emotional for my, somewhat stoic Jill.

Anyway hope you enjoyed. More coming soon.


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